A Doctor's Choice
by Mileryn
Summary: A Noblesse fanfic. Doctor Hyun Ae Choi thought it was just gonna be a normal day. But when she meets the new guard, struggling with a dark past of his own, she's forced to make terrible decisions. Our choices make us what we are. What if we don't like it?
1. Chapter 1

**A doctor's choice**

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Noblesse characters though I damn wish I did!

**Author's note:** Welcome to my very first Noblesse fan fiction. I hope I did a good job with it and it is as much fun to read as it was to write it. But see for yourselves.

**Chapter 1: Dissimulation**

_As a medical term, dissimulation means a patient playing down symptoms of his disease. This is the antonym of the Munchhausen-Syndrome which depicts people feigning diseases to get medical attention._

Doctor Hyun Ae Choi was on her way to work. She straightened her skirt while keeping a fast pace. Then the school gate was already in sight. She hurried through, her usual smile on her face.

"Good Mor...", Hyun Ae paused in mid-sentence, baffled.

This was not the normal stocky guard. Instead of the familiar brawny teacher, a tall young man with shoulder-length gray hair met her gaze. He wore a black suit that hugged his slender form. On his right forearm was a badge declaring him an official security guard and he had the tell-tale earplug.

"...ning", she hastily finished, desperately trying to hide a blush.

He nodded in acknowledgment and she walked on to the ward.

During work, Hyun Ae had half-forgotten about the new guard. She blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and carefully gave the fidgety boy in front of her his tetanus vaccination.

"Please watch out for glass shards before you dive after the ball, next time", she smiled and fastened a band-aid over his arm. "Now hurry along!"

"Thanks, Doctor Choi!", chimed the boy and bustled down the corridor, already looking for new mischief.

Hyun Ae straightened up and gave him a last fond look. Then she turned around to the window. It looked out across the court and towards the front gate. Her gaze swept over the small groups of students that enjoyed their break outside and lingered for a short time on the silver-haired guard.

M-21 was bored. From the edge of his vision, he observed the students that milled about in the courtyard. Shouts from a couple of younger boys playing football and scraps of conservation drifted over to him. He briefly wondered whether his school time had been like this. Had he even visited school? He could not remember.

His attention immediately focused when a car drove by at a suspiciously slow pace.

"Fuck ya stupid school!", yelled a voice.

A broken bottle was thrown through the gate, but before it could shatter, M-21 caught it in mid-air.

"What the...?" The car sped away with screeching wheels.

M-21 sighed. Just a few punks aiming for trouble. He dropped the bottle off into a nearby trash can. Only then did he notice that he had gripped it too tightly and his palm had a few deep bleeding cuts in it.

_Tch, seems like I let my guard down_, he thought.

"Let me take a look at this, please!", said a female voice.

M-21 turned slowly, sweat breaking out on his brow. The woman he had seen entering the grounds this morning had approached him. She was wearing a white lab coat over her dark blue suit and it momentarily triggered bad memories. But then he noticed the stethoscope snaked around her neck and the worried expression on her face. Obviously, she was the school's doctor.

"Let me take a look at this cut, please", she repeated and stretched out her hand.

M-21 quickly hid his hand behind his back. _I can't let her see this!_, he thought, panicked. _She'll notice the wounds are already healing._

"It is nothing", he said coldly and turned away from her. "Leave me alone!"

Hyun Ae stared a moment at his retreating form, a hurt expression on her face.

"No need to be rude", she mumbled while she made her way back to the main building. "I was only trying to help."

The day went on, but Hyun Ae's good mood from the morning had evaporated. She managed a smile when Yuuna, one of the older students, entered her ward.

"Ah, hello, Yuuna, how can I help you today?", she asked.

The brown-haired girl sat down on the therapy table and shyly cast her gaze down.

"Um, I'm having cramps, Doctor Choi", she said softly.

Hyun Ae nodded and rummaged in her cabinet. "It's that time of month again, right?", she asked lightly. "I'll give you something to ease the pain. Anything unusual?"

"No, just as always", answered the girl and accepted the small package gracefully. "Say, Doctor Choi, is something the matter?"

The doctor looked at her surprised. "Why are you asking?", she wanted to know.

"Well...", answered Yuuna, blushing a little, "it's just that you sighed a lot and looked kind of gloomy, so I was wondering what you are worrying about. Sorry, I didn't want to intrude!"

"No need to apologize", replied Hyun Ae. She sat down next to the girl and sighed yet again. "I guess I can tell you since you are not one to gossip, Yuuna..."

A long moment of silence followed.

"What is it that worries you, then?", Yuuna eventually ventured.

"Um, you know that new guard?", said Hyun Ae.

Yuuna broke into a bright smile. "Ajussi? Do you like him, Doctor Choi?"

"N-no, I just.., this morning he cut himself and wouldn't let me examine him, that's troubling me", stuttered the woman, violently blushing.

Yuuna smiled some more. "Now don't lie, Doctor Choi", she grinned. "Don't say, you would like to meet him after work, but are too shy to ask, right? I can help you with that! See, he lives with Principal Lee and since Shinwoo, Ikhan, Suyi and me were planning to visit Rai, Seira and Regis there tonight, you could join us if you like!"

"I really don't know...", began Hyun Ae, still red as a tomato. _Just like me to lose my face like this in front of a student,_ she thought exasperated. _But since I've already stooped so low, why not take the offer?_

"Open up, Principal Lee, we came to visit Rai!", cried an all too familiar voice.

Frankenstein sighed in resignation and opened the door.

The red-haired Shinwoo, his bespectacled friend Ikhan and the two girls rushed in and greeted Rai and the two silver-haired youths who were sitting calmly on the sofa, enthusiastically.

Frankenstein started when he noticed that there was another visitor.

"Doctor Choi?", he asked baffled.

The dark-haired woman smiled apologetically and held up a food container. "Sorry to intrude, Principal Lee, but Yuuna insisted I come. So I brought a cake to make up for the trouble."

The blonde smiled at her and gestured for her to come in before he closed the door.

Hyun Ae stepped into the spacious flat and looked around. Immediately her gaze fell on the new guard that stood a bit aside, still in his clean white shirt, though he had taken off the black tie. She felt her cheeks redden and quickly looked away. When she looked again, he was gone.

M-21 almost smiled when he heard the voice of that kid over the inter phone and saw the accompanying expression on Principal Lee's face. Yet he instantly froze when he recognized the woman that stepped in behind the children. She had changed into jeans and a light blue blouse and her hair was down.

_Damn, did she come here to look at my hand again?_, he wondered. He felt her eyes for a moment on him and decided it would be best to keep out of her way. M-21 silently left the room and slipped into the kitchen. He felt Regis' mistrustful gaze in his back.

"It's fine apple cake", explained Hyun Ae when she set the cake on the table. "Oh, we still need a knife", she realized and stood up.

"No, no, Principal Lee, don't bother. Just tell me where I can find one", she smiled.

The blonde who had half-risen from his seat sat down again and pointed to the door of the kitchen.

"In the second drawer from the right are sharp knives, Doctor Choi", he said.

When she entered the kitchen, she found the tall guard leaning against the counter, sipping a cup of coffee.

M-21 looked up when he heard footsteps and saw the dark-haired doctor standing in the door.

An awkward silence settled between them.

"Um, I was looking for a knife", Hyun Ae finally managed to say.

M-21 shook off his confusion and pulled open the right drawer. He carefully handed her a long knife.

"Thank you", said the woman. Then she looked up into his face. Up close she noticed that he had a thin scar on the right side of his mouth. She wondered how he had acquired it.

"Why don't you join us?", she asked.

M-21 averted his gaze. "I don't feel like it", he replied evenly. He could almost feel her disappointed look. Then he heard that she was making her way to the door.

"Then I'll have them save a piece up for you", she said gently and the door fell close behind her.

He let out a silent breath of relief. _Perhaps she has already forgotten_, he thought.

"So sorry, Principal Lee", apologized Hyun Ae when the children had left. "We made a real mess. I'll help you clean it up!" She swiftly stacked the dishes and cups together and gathered the sweet wrappers. While she rummaged around, her gaze fell on Rai and she remembered something.

"Cadis Etrama di Raizel, you haven't had your entrance examination, have you?", she asked.

Frankenstein stared at her perfect pronunciation of the foreign name. Then he shook his locks. "That won't be necessary in this case, Doctor Choi", he said.

"Principal Lee, I insist!", protested the doctor. "Please come to the ward tomorrow, Cadis Etrama di Raizel. You too, Regis K. Landegre and Seira J. Roiard. Thank you for the wonderful evening, everyone. Goodbye!"

After all but Frankenstein's mumbling had died down, M-21 dared to come back to the living room. He found the blonde busy cleaning up, obviously with his thoughts elsewhere. Seira was helping him and throwing furtive glances at Regis, who sat next to Rai on the sofa, arms crossed and glaring at his entrance. Rai sat silent, a cup of tea in his pale hands.

M-21 ignored the white-haired brat's expression and settled down opposite of Rai. With the softest of tingling sounds Rai set the cup down and pushed a small plate towards him. On it sat a piece of cake.

"This has been saved for you", said Rai with his usual emotionless voice, yet there seemed to be the hint of an order behind his words.

M-21 obligingly picked up the fork and shoved a small bite in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully.

"It's good", he stated.

"It was made with the wish to pleasure people and to make them a bit happier", said Frankenstein's deep voice in his back. "That is just how Doctor Choi is."

M-21 sat deep in thought while he finished the rest of his cake. _To have someone make cake for me, __that's new,_ he thought. _Hmph, how arrogant, it's not as if this was made especially for me. I guess M-24's matter-of-fact attitude is really missing here. What would he have said? She looked quite lovely...I shouldn't think that! How can I...?_

**Note: **Thanks for reading! How was the first chapter? Does this even seem interesting enough? Please, please review!_  
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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Noblesse does belong to its wonderful creators, not me.

**Author's note:** Thanks to anyone who was brave enough to risk reading another chapter^^. Most chapters will begin with a snippet of medical knowledge. Its irrelevant to the story so you can skip it if you like. If any medical questions come up, feel free to ask, I'm taking my exam this year so it should be pretty accurate.

Enough of the rambling, enjoy the second chapter!

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**Chapter 2: Syncope**

_A syncope is a short-time unconsciousness. It can have various reasons, most of them associated with the cardio-vascular system. The most common reason for syncopes in elderly people is a stenosis of the aortic valve, while young people suffer from genetic causes such as the Brugada syndrome. As there are even syncopes with seizures, it can sometimes be hard to tell them apart from epileptical seizures._

The next day, Frankenstein had just prepared tea when the doorbell rang. He sighed and went to open it. To his surprise it was only Doctor Choi in jeans and a deep-red sweater, carrying a large bag.

"Good evening, Principal Lee", she greeted him politely. "I have come for the examination of our three exchange students since they forgot to come by my office today. In this special case, I thought I could make an exception and examine them here."

Frankenstein's eyes widened slightly and he threw a glance over his shoulder where his master and Seira were silently sipping their tea and Regis and M-21 were once again involved in a staring contest.

_I can't let her examine them_, he thought. _Luckily I already prepared something yesterday night._

"Ah, I am sorry, Doctor Choi", the blonde smiled. "It seems they already had a thorough examination upon their entry in Korea. They just forgot to hand me the documents. Here, you can look through them."

He walked over to a small sideboard and picked up three big envelopes. Hyun Ae accepted them and peered inside. They were filled with several sheets of medical procedures. She smiled thankfully at him, but then her face fell.

"Thank you, Principal Lee, that spares me much time", she said. "But now I have lost my purpose in coming here. I will take my leave then." She made for the door until she was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"Since you are here, why don't you have some tea with us?", Frankenstein offered.

She looked over to the table where Seira gave her a friendly smile and Rai the slightest of nods. Her gaze swept over to the gray-haired guard and their eyes met for a second.

Hyun Ae hastily returned her attention to the principal.

"Thank you for the kind offer, Principal Lee. I think I will take it. The tea yesterday was incredibly delicious."

_Why is she blushing?_, Frankenstein asked himself. _She hasn't fallen for master, has she?_

"You have to thank Seira for that. She was the one to prepare it", he then said.

Now it was the girl's turn to blush. She looked genuinely happy of the compliment.

Since Frankenstein settled down next to Rai, the only sitting space left was next to M-21. He briefly considered leaving again, but decided it would arouse even more suspicion. Thus he stayed seated, gave the dark-haired woman a small nod and hoped against all reason that she had forgotten about his injury.

Hyun Ae sat down reluctantly and accepted a cup of steaming hot tea. A delicious scent wafted over to her, but as she deeply inhaled the tea's aroma she realized that it was not the source. She inched a barely noticeable space closer to the guard. _It's really him, _she thought astonished.

As she watched him carefully putting down his cup, she remembered the bleeding cuts on his palm.

"Might I look at the hand that was cut the day before yesterday?", she inquired politely.

M-21 scrutinized her face for a moment, then inwardly shrugged and decided to risk it. He stretched out his flawless hand, palm up.

"Like I told you, it was barely a scratch. It's already completely healed up", he said. He flinched slightly when the woman unexpectedly took hold of his hand and slid the fingers of her other hand over the skin. It felt...strange.

There really were no wounds left, no matter how close Hyun Ae looked. She was a bit surprised that there was no trace of injury, but if the cuts had really been that shallow it was not unlikely. She already wanted to let go of the slender hand when she noticed something on the forearm.

"It that a tattoo?", she asked curiously and without giving him the time to react, she had pushed away his sleeve and bared the black markings on his pale skin.

Hyun Ae went white as a sheet. M-21 felt her hands beginning to tremble.

"That sign...", she breathed. "I-it can't be! You're from _there_?" She lost consciousness muttering something that sounded like "Eddie" before she fainted.

M-21 sat there completely frozen. Regis' voice ripped him out of his shock.

"Didn't we warn you not to involve humans, you idiot?", he shouted, jumping up from his seat.

"I didn't do anything to her", protested M-21. "She just fainted after seeing the tattoo."

"Then why did you show it to her in the first place?", raged the boy.

M-21 wanted to retort something, but Frankenstein gestured them to be silent. He quickly strode over and picked the woman lightly up. He carried her over to a bedroom and lay her down atop the sheets.

Everyone stood for a few minutes in silence watching her, until she finally opened her eyes again.

After a second of disorientation, she sat up and smiled apologetically.

"Please explain why you fainted just now, Doctor Choi", demanded Frankenstein.

Hyun Ae closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "It's a long story", she said.

"Before I started working at your school, Principal Lee, I was employed at the General hospital here in town. I had a co-worker named Edward Turgo, Eddie for short. He was a specialist for genetics and an open-minded, amiable man. I had made friends with him and one day he visited me on my ward. We were sitting in the otherwise empty office drinking coffee when he pulled out a letter. He was beaming and telling me that he had been offered a great job at a private company. They wanted him to do genetic research for the purpose of curing hereditary diseases and he was thrilled by the possibilities they were offering. He told me with a wink that he had been forbidden to tell anyone, which he found slightly odd. He obviously didn't take this too seriously, since he told me all he knew about his new job and even showed me the letter this organization had sent him. That is where I saw that symbol."

Hyun Ae's eyes traveled over to M-21 who was lurking rather uncomfortably in the background.

"I never saw Eddie again", Hyun Ae continued. "About a month after his disappearance, however, he called me once on my mobile. What he told me then was deeply unsettling. He said that the organization wasn't in fact doing basic research on hereditary diseases, but was focusing on risky experiments...on humans. I was shocked and pressured him to tell me where he was so we could take measures to stop these criminals. Yet he wouldn't answer me. He said it would be too dangerous and that the organization was too powerful. Before I could find out more, the call was cut off. I tried investigating on my own, but all clues ended up with nothing. Finally I decided to start over again even though my conscience plagued me. That is why I came to work at your school. Now today is the first time after five years that I have seen this symbol again. Eddie said that the test persons were injected with various substances to lend them special abilities, mutating their DNA..." Her voice trailed away and again her gaze focused on the gray-haired man.

"Are you one of their experiments?"

All eyes fixed on M-21. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes", he affirmed. "And there was a Doctor Turgo at the facility where I was kept."

Hyun Ae's eyes widened and a hopeful expression passed over her face. "Is that true? Is he all right?"

"He might be dead for all I know", replied M-21. It confused him that telling her this fact felt so bad. "One day he was just gone. He might have been transferred to another place, but I find it unlikely. I found out later that he was the one who developed the pills that reduced our side-effects. I guess he tried to help, but those pills made us even more dependent on the organization." He gritted his teeth while an image of his friends writhing in pain flashed up in his memory. He could remember the agony all too well until he finally managed to be free of the damned medicine.

"So how did you escape? And how are you all involved in this?", asked Hyun Ae and threw a look in the round.

"Master, I think we should not involve her further in this. Let us alter her memory and...", whispered Frankenstein.

"I heard that, Principal Lee!", exclaimed Hyun Ae indignantly. "Before you inject me with benzodiazepines or whatever you are planning to use, please hear me out."

"This is too dangerous for you, Doctor Choi", said Frankenstein, his voice full of concern. "Please understand that we cannot let you take this risk."

"Why should it be more dangerous for me than for you?", the woman snapped back.

The blonde looked a bit uncomfortable. Then he said, "we are...a special case. You should have listened to your friend. This organization is an enemy to be feared. Going up against them might be your death."

Hyun Ae snorted.

"How ungraceful!", mumbled Regis under his breath.

She fixed Frankenstein with a firm gaze. "You do forget that I am a doctor, Principal Lee. It is my duty to help others, I cannot just forget about this. Even if I have to put my life on the line, there are people used for insane experiments, for god's sake!"

"Even if we let her help, of what use could she possibly be?", Regis spoke up.

"I may not be a genetics specialist like Eddie, but I have done research on this field of medicine", explained Hyun Ae. " And I have access to a laboratory that will allow me to analyze samples myself. I don't think you have much information on the actual work of this organization. I could help with that."

There was a long pause. Then Rai nodded, almost imperceptible.

"As you wish, master", said Frankenstein, bowing his head. Then he started filling the doctor in on all information on the organization they had so far. He carefully left out that the children had been involved and the role M-21 had played in that.

When he had finished, Hyun Ae nodded slowly.

"Thank you for telling me. I think I know where to get started. I will need a sample to analyze the genetic alterations. Some blood will suffice." She fixed her gaze on M-21. "I know this is inconvenient, but I see no other way. Please come by my office tomorrow while you have time."

With those words she stood up and walked over into the living room to fetch her bag. After a polite goodbye, the door fell shut behind her.

"Are you sure this was the right decision?", inquired M-21 the moment she was gone.

"For once I have to agree with the mutant", said Regis disdainfully. "I don't see any reason to involve humans in this!"

Rai stayed silent.

"You should not doubt master's judgment", said Frankenstein dangerously calm. An intimidating aura surrounded him.

"What if she gets killed?", asked M-21 and Regis simultaneously, then paused to glare at each other.

Seira, who had listened until now, spoke up. "You have heard the woman", she stated. "She is prepared to risk her life. Furthermore I have the feeling that she would have been able to remember sooner or later even if we altered her memories. She is special. Like Shinwoo, Ikhan and Yuuna."

She turned around and swept away towards the kitchen, presumably to prepare dinner. The discussion was finished.

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**Note:** Yes, finally something is happening. What do you think so far? Reviews make me happy!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Noblesse or any of its characters.

**Author's note: **So my precious few readers, I'm back. Actually there are already over 30 chapters, so I can update at any pace I want, but I guess it will be about once or twice weekly. I hope you enjoyed the story so far. Here's the next chapter:

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**Chapter 3: PTSD**

_PTSD is short for post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a psychical illness that is usually very intense but seldom chronic. The symptoms vary widely though often recurring nightmares and flash-backs are typical. Most forms of treatment focus on the patient retelling the traumatizing events._

The next day, Hyun Ae felt distracted the whole morning. Every time a new patient walked in, she wished it was the gray-haired man. She just hoped her disappointment did not show on her face.

_Concentrate, Hyun Ae, what kind of doctor are you?, _she scolded herself mentally. _Now focus on helping your patients. _

She managed getting lost in her everyday work with bruised knees, stomach ache and bleeding noses so much that she jumped in surprise when he finally arrived.

"Ah, you've come", she managed to say. Then she gestured towards a chair. "Please take off your jacket and sit down."

M-21 complied silently. He felt his pulse quicken at the horribly familiar smell of disinfectant. His eyes followed the doctor's hands as she prepared a set of blood test tubes, carefully labeling them. He started when she asked him to roll up his sleeve.

Then there was the feel of examination gloves on his skin. He felt himself beginning to panic.

_What am I doing?, _he thought. _This is ridiculous!_

Yet flashes of memories slipped through his mind. White coats, cold voices, the prick of needles and the feeling that something was wrong with his body. Regaining consciousness in a tank. Floating in the eerie green light and seeing through the glass endless rows of others like him.

"Are you all right?", said the concerned voice of the dark-haired doctor. Her words sounded strangely muffled. "You're very pale. Do you need to lie down?"

M-21 opened his eyes he could not remember having closed. A worried woman's face hovered over him and a warm hand felt the pulse on his wrist.

The hand disappeared and he heard the sound of running water.

"I'm sorry", she whispered while she pressed a cup of water in his hands. "I guessed this would be hard on you, but it seems I have still taken it too lightly. Will you be able to go on?"

M-21 took a sip of the cool liquid and immediately his head felt clearer. He nodded.

"It might help if I tell you each step I'm taking. Do you want to lie down?", she asked.

"No", M-21 heard himself reply. "That would be worse."

The doctor simply nodded and took up her tourniquet again.

"Please stretch out your arm and make a fist. I'll fasten the tourniquet now." She did so and then picked up a spray can.

"This will be a bit cold", she said and applied the disinfectant. Although the smell was less than pleasant, M-21 found that he could bear it now. He breathed out deeply.

Hyun Ae glanced at the face of her patient. She knew that the hardest part would follow now. She took out a butterfly needle and slipped the cap off. She decided that it would be best to treat this with her usual routine.

"There's gonna be a small prick", she announced and swiftly punctured the vein. She had expected a sharp intake of breath or even the arm twitching, but this time her patient stayed calm. She carefully attached the blood tubes and filled each to the appointed level. When she had removed the tourniquet and needle and instructed him to press firmly on the swab, she allowed herself a small smile.

"Well done", she said. "I apologize for the inconvenience."

M-21 looked up to her and she imagined seeing the ghost of a sad smile. "It is you who has done well, Doctor Choi", he said while standing up. He cast aside the swab and rolled down his sleeve.

Hyun Ae wanted to tell him to apply a band-aid first so the shirt would not be stained, but remembered his incredibly fast recovery rate.

"When will the results be ready?", asked M-21 and shrugged on his jacket.

"I can't tell. I will need time to go to the laboratory. Even if I do it today it should take a few days. I'll tell you as soon as I have them."

The gray-haired man nodded and left the ward with long strides.

_I guess he is happy to be out of here_, Hyun Ae thought watching him go. She inhaled and caught a whiff of his smell lingering amidst the familiar scent of the ward. Her eyes fell on the abandoned cup of water and she caught herself with a silly idea. She shook her head.

_Stupid Hyun Ae, you're unbelievable. And they might have even infected him with something contagious for all you know. Pathetic, like a little girl with a crush._

Hastily, she took the cup and emptied it in the sink. She rubbed the bridge of her nose in an exasperated manner. In her mind she was already planning when to phone the lab to ask when she could come.

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**Note:** Since this chapter is a short one, I might update this weekend. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Noblesse isn't mine, I'm merely a humble fan.

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who read my story so far, especially to Bloody-WhiteRose97 for reviewing! Enjoy the new chapter.**

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**Chapter 4: DNA-transmutation**

_In fact, the human genome is a very fragile system. Most changes, small as they may be, result in fatal diseases like Chorea Huntington (a set of three bases is repeated too often) or various forms of cancer. Though researchers hoped that genomic therapy would soon be usable to cure hereditary diseases, reality shows that there is still a long way to go and the dreamed-of results may never be achieved._

Altogether it took a whole week to run all the necessary tests.

Hyun Ae was deeply grateful to have made friends with a doctor in laboratory medicine who now ran an own institution. Nobody had bothered her while she sat at a working bench pipetting, mixing, staring through the microscope. Occasionally, one of the assistants had offered her help with the machines that she had always politely declined. She had taken every measure to make sure that she was the only one to work with the samples.

After concluding her analysis, she carefully destroyed the left-overs except a cell culture as a back-up.

The results had surprised her. She had been expecting unusual alterations, but the extent was unimaginable. She hoped that her patient could enlighten her a bit. Thus she felt a certain light-headed excitement when she walked to Principal Lee's house.

The Principal opened quickly, but held her up at the door.

"We have visitors", he whispered before he stepped aside to let her in.

Hyun Ae couldn't help but smile when she saw who sat crowded around the table. The children, Rai, Regis, Seira and M-21 had gathered around some kind of playing board. From Rai's and M-21's faces she could read that they seemed to be losing. Then Suyi spotted her over at the door, smiled and waved at her.

"Look, it's Doctor Choi!", she said.

"Oi, Doctor Choi!", exclaimed Shinwoo and grinned at her. "Care to join us?"

Hyun Ae laughed and shook her head. "Maybe some other time", she said. "And I am afraid I have to take one of your players away." Her gaze caught a pair of gray eyes and M-21 stood up from his seat.

"I forfeit", he stated. Then, upon the kids' disappointed looks, Hyun Ae saw him smile for real for the first time. She stood mesmerized and felt a blush creep up in her cheeks.

"Let's go somewhere else", he murmured as he approached her and opened the door. Hyun Ae followed him, but before the door closed she could hear Shinwoo say, "Is Ajussi on a date with Doctor Choi?" She was deeply thankful for the darkness outside hiding her burning face.

They walked in silence until they reached a ten-story building about a block away. Hyun Ae struggled to keep pace with the gray-haired man as he swiftly climbed the stairs. She was out of breath when they finally stepped out on the roof.

Hyun Ae looked around. There was a magnificent view of the city, its many lighted windows like sequins and the noise of the streets only a faint humming. She realized that her companion had walked on and was now standing at the roof's edge, staring down.

She quietly joined him and wondered how she should start.

"I used to come up here with M-24", he mumbled, speaking more to himself. "Why did I wander up here again...?" His voice trailed away and then his head whipped around as if he suddenly remembered her presence.

Hyun Ae leaned against the waist-high wall that surrounded the roof. "Aren't you curious to know what I found out?", she asked.

M-21 sat down on top of the wall and studied her dimly-lit face for a moment.

"That's what we came here for", he replied seriously.

"I'm simply overwhelmed", began Hyun Ae. "Your DNA is altered to an extent that I thought was impossible. There is only about 80% of normal human genome remaining. More than 20% has been changed. I planned to find out which genes were affected, but soon I realized that this could not be managed in so little time. It would take months to do that, even with more people and I wouldn't dare to show your samples to anyone else." She sighed and then continued, looking up into the evening sky that was covered with dark-gray clouds.

"I decided I would focus on a few genes that I am familiar with. I was surprised, to say the least. For example, you possess a gene encoding an enzyme called 'telomerase' that prevents cell's DNA from shortening with each division. Normally, it is only expressed in stem cells. In your body, it is expressed in every cell. It renders you practically immortal."

"Does this have to do something with my regeneration rate?", asked M-21.

Hyun Ae shook her head. "No, that might be a complex combination of coagulation, heightened miosis rate and other things. The telomerase means that your body will not age. A normal cell has a certain lifespan, but yours don't. You will never grow old." She paused a moment to let the information sink in. He kept his face carefully expressionless.

"Then I found out something very curious and I wondered whether you can tell me something about it. A large part of your altered DNA resembles not human but animal genes. Those parts are similar to a dog's genome. The resemblance is too close to be a mere coincidence. Would you know about that?"

M-21 took a deep breath. _Now is the moment she will grow afraid of me_, he thought. _Well, can't be helped._

He held out his hands, concentrated hard and transformed. He watched her face with distant resignation, waiting for the expression of horror, the shrieks, the flight.

It did not come. A look of surprise passed over Hyun Ae's features and she did not take a step back, but approached him carefully.

"Um, may I touch them?", she asked, staring at his hands with utter fascination.

She took his silence as approval and ran her fingertips over the fur. It felt at the same time soft and coarse. In her curiosity, she touched one of the claws and immediately pricked herself at the sharp tip.

"Ow!", she exclaimed. Then she laughed. "Clumsy as ever, Hyun Ae."

"Aren't you afraid of me?", asked M-21 astonished.

The woman looked up into his shocked face and firmly shook her head, smiling.

"People tend to forget I am a doctor. Why would I be afraid of an unusual condition? You know, there are hereditary diseases which result in skin that looks and feels like a shark's. If I resented people for that I could not work as a doctor. The only feelings this evokes are interest and the deep desire to help cure the disease and if that is impossible, help the patient cope with it. As the case lies with you, you seem to profit more than suffer, though I take it there are repercussions?"

"There were", M-21 affirmed. "If we did not take the medicine the organization provided us with at regular intervals, we would break down with unbearable pain." He paused at the look on her face.

"Tch! Don't pity me!", he spat angrily. "That helps no one!"

Hyun Ae shook her head, but she smiled. She stepped even closer and her fingers brushed against the side of his face with the lightest of touches. A shiver ran down his spine.

"What is a doctor without pity?", she said gently. "What is left is the scientist. You know where that takes us. The ability to feel pity is what makes us human."

They stood staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity. A gust of wind blew over the roof top and ruffled their hair.

Hyun Ae scolded herself internally for her lack of professionalism. Yet her whole being longed to touch him again. There was something about this scarred person that utterly fascinated her, a pull that tore at the very core of her being.

M-21 studied the upturned face of this strange woman. She had surprised him with her stubborn determination, her unquestioning trust and offer of help for strangers like him. _The wish to make people a bit happier_... Frankenstein's words echoed through his head. She looked very lovely in the dim light, her greenish-brown eyes filled with compassion.

They both could not tell afterward who had initiated the kiss. Suddenly their lips were touching and there was the bitter-sweet taste of their doubtful want. Hyun Ae slid the tip of her tongue over his lower lip. M-21 suppressed a low groan.

Amidst this blissful feeling the realization hit him that this woman knew nothing about him. She pitied him, she thought him an innocent victim, a good person, when in fact he was none of that. He had seen how fond she had looked at the children. What would she say if only she knew that he had nearly killed them, for amusement?

He roughly pushed her away, so hard that she stumbled.

"You don't know me, doctor", he hissed and with his unnatural agility, leaped down from the roof onto another and vanished into the darkness of the night.

Hyun Ae stared after him in shock. Then a sob escaped her and she buried her face in her hands.

_That look of disgust on his face!, _she thought desperately. _Why? What did I do wrong? _

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**Note: **What good is any romance without some horrible misunderstandings?^^. Thank you for reading and please please review!_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse or any of its characters.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the messed up updating schedule. It's a bit haphazard since I'm doing it whenever I have the time and motivation. It might get more regular with time though.

Enjoy the new chapter!**  
**

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**Chapter 5: Shattered world**

M-21 awoke with a start. He vaguely remembered the remains of the dream he had woken from. The bitter taste of blood, flickering light and the sharp, acidic smell of smoke. A second ago the images had still been vivid, but the more he tried to call them to mind, the faster they slipped away. He shook his head and slipped out of bed.

Hyun Ae had slept badly. Countless times she had replayed the scene on the roof in her head and wondered what did go wrong. She could not come up with any satisfactory answer. In the end she had taken a mild sedative to finally go to sleep.

Still, she felt exhausted when she got up.

Since it was the weekend, she was going to visit the laboratory again. She still had to examine a cell culture that should have grown enough by now.

At one of the workbenches, she carefully took a few of the grown cells and ran a couple of tests with them. Eventually she did another DNA-analysis, just for the report.

When she saw the results however, she immediately checked whether the sample had been confounded with another. It was not the case. There was no contamination. She repeated the test with another sample. The results stayed the same.

_I have no idea how this could happen, _she thought. _This is beyond my understanding. I will have to consult someone._

She sighed silently and stood up. Her back made a protesting sound at having been bent for too long. She asked a nearby assistant where she could find Doctor Bae Kim, the owner of the laboratory. He was in his office.

Hyun Ae walked through the building until she stood in front of the correct door. She hesitated to knock. Did she trust him enough for this? Yes, she did. She knocked.

"Enter, please", came a voice from inside.

Doctor Kim looked up from something he had been reading. His face lit up when he recognized her.

He pushed his glasses up and smiled, gesturing for her to sit.

"Hyun Ae, how nice of you to visit me in my boredom!", he said.

The woman smiled. "I am happy to be a distraction for you, Bae", she answered. "But I have another reason to come. It concerns the tests I have been running."

The lab manager regarded her serious expression for a moment. Then he leaned forward, eagerly listening. "Tell me about it", he said.

"Before I tell you, you must promise to keep quiet about this. Don't talk about it with anyone, not even your most trusted employees. This is a unique case. Don't dare try to publish it."

Bae shook his head. "You know that I'm not interested in fame, Hyun Ae. I promise to be silent as a grave."

"There is another thing I need to tell you", continued the female doctor. "It might be dangerous. In fact, this might be too big for both of us. But once I found out about it, I had to investigate. Many lives might be affected."

Her friend looked at her with wide eyes. Then he took off his rimless glasses and began to polish them in a slow, careful manner.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Hyun Ae?", he asked. "I always feared your idealism might one day pose a threat to you." He sighed and put on his glasses. His gray eyes fixed on her in his usual intelligent and piercing gaze.

"Well, I am with you. Let me in on the facts."

Hyun Ae began with Edward Turgo and his disappearance. Then she told him of M-21 and his involvement with the same organization. His expression changed from shocked incredulity to grim severity.

"Those people are insane criminals!", he exclaimed. "We should take this to the police, Hyun Ae."

The young doctor shook her head. "I don't think that would accomplish anything. This organization is not only especially cruel but also very powerful. The police would develop amnesia or be simply killed. I know it's hard, but we have to take this slowly and as covert as possible."

Bae nodded. "I can't believe this", he mumbled. "Now, what happened to the samples that you felt the need to confide in me? It must have been something unsettling."

"The mutations are unstable. The DNA has changed since I tested it the last time. I have no idea how my patient is able to stay alive while constantly mutating. It is a fragile balance. And what is even more disturbing...the matches with human DNA grow less and the 'dog' or, how I think now, 'wolf' DNA parts are growing. Please come and have a look at it. I'm really hoping I've made a mistake somewhere."

They sat together over the microscope. They brooded over many pages of results.

While they made a small coffee break, Bae shook his head and laughed.

"You know, I found it odd that you would especially forbid me to publish this case. I thought it was just another slightly unusual disease. I wouldn't have dreamed that is was on a whole other level. No, don't get me wrong...", he held up a hand. "I still don't plan on publishing it. I gave you my word, after all. But now I realize that other people might kill for such a case. We must keep this between the two of us at all costs!"

When Hyun Ae left the laboratory it was already late in the evening. Bae had affirmed all her results and asked to obtain more material.

Now she was on her way to Principal Lee's house. To inform M-21 of the new development, to ask him for a few samples of skin, hair, muscular tissue and liquor and, though she couldn't admit it to herself, to confirm whether he really despised her.

Rai opened the door and let her into an otherwise completely empty living room.

"Frankenstein and Seira are cooking", he remarked matter-of-factly. "Please have a seat."

"Actually I was looking for M-21", said Hyun Ae. "Is he not here?"

"That is correct", said Frankenstein as he entered the room, his arms full of steaming plates. "According to Seira and Regis, he has rejoined the organization and has been on a personal mission from Doctor Crombel all along."

"He has _what_?", asked Hyun Ae, disbelieving. "You can't be serious. Why would he do that?"

"Please sit down and eat with us, Doctor Choi", said the blonde and gestured to a seat. "I will explain."

After Seira had brought the remaining plates, they settled down around the table. Regis drifted in from the balcony, greeted the doctor politely and joined them.

They ate for a few minutes in silence. Hyun Ae did not want to be impolite, but she was too agitated to really taste the food.

Finally, Frankenstein spoke. "You are very talented, Seira", he said. "The taste of the dishes you prepared is exquisite."

Hyun Ae nodded an agreement and then looked the principal in the eye. "You promised to explain, Principal Lee", she reminded him.

"Yes", he sighed and put down his chopsticks. "First I have to apologize to you. Back when we informed you I did not tell you everything. I deliberately left out something about M-21 I thought you might not take well."

"What was it?", asked Hyun Ae. "I really need to know!"

"Before I tell you, what do you think of him?", said Frankenstein.

The dark-haired doctor looked at him in confusion and the hint of a blush crept over her face.

"Why do you...", she began but stopped herself. "Fine. What do I think of him? It is hard to say since he is a very complex person. I suppose he is withdrawn to the edge of seeming cold. The organization's experiments have scarred him a great deal. But I think he might be in fact a kind person to whom friendship means a great deal."

Frankenstein sighed again. "That's what I thought", he said. "You see him only as a victim of the organization's cruel experimentation. In fact, he was made as a killing tool. This might mainly be due to the alterations they have done to him, but in the end, we make our choices ourselves."

"What are you trying to say?", inquired Hyun Ae. A hint of irritation clung to her voice. The others, too, had stopped eating and were listening to their conversation.

"He means that he is a monster", commented Regis coldly. "He gave up his humanity for more power."

"But he didn't choose to do so!", protested Hyun Ae.

"Still it happened", replied Frankenstein. "And he placed the children in danger."

"The children?", gasped the doctor. "You don't mean...? Shinwoo, Ikhan, Yuuna and Suyi?"

"Suyi was not with them at that time, but yes, they were almost killed by M-21 and his comrade M-24. They toyed with them as a pastime."

"As a PASTIME?", repeated Hyun Ae, her voice filling with fury. "You mean M-21 played with the lives of those children just because he was BORED?"

Frankenstein nodded gravely. "It is true. Though he helped us saving them from Jake and Mary afterward. He is not the good man you thought him to be, Doctor Choi."

"I...I can't believe it!", she cried and buried her face in her hands. "How could I be so foolish? How could I misjudge him so much?"

She wiped her face and stood up abruptly.

"Thank you for telling me, Principal Lee. And thank you very much for the food. I will leave now. I need some time to think."

She turned on her heel and almost ran out of the door.

"You could have handled this with more delicacy, Frankenstein", said Rai a moment after she was gone.

Frankenstein stiffened and sweat broke out on his brow.

"I'm incredibly sorry, master. I humbly accept any punishment", he exclaimed.

Rai took a sip of tea. "It is all right", he stated calmly. "It was a minor mistake and she needed to know."

Hyun Ae felt like crying. The latest events were slowly grating on her nerves and she felt herself close to a nervous breakdown. She prepared herself a large pot of honeyed tea and cuddled up on the sofa with a blanket.

While she sipped the hot, sweet drink she tried to arrange her thoughts.

_Think back how you felt before it all happened, Hyun Ae. How did you feel back then? _

_Something close to happiness. Satisfaction with the job. A nice, orderly life. But not really happy. _

_Since Eddie disappeared I have felt quite lonely, I suppose. I left the friendly crowd at the hospital behind and traded them for a solitary job. There are the children, of course. But they are not my equals. _

_Yes, I guess that is what I missed after I cut my ties: an equal. _

_And perhaps a lover, _said a tiny voice in the back of her head.

_Probably, _thought Hyun Ae. _I remember the fateful morning I met that person. Tall, handsome, unapproachable and with this mysterious air around him. I had never seen gray hair in such a young person before._

_Ah, I'm rambling, even mentally._

Hyun Ae sighed heavily, took another big gulp of tea and pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

_I never thought that he would be such a despicable person. To play with childrens' lives for amusement? That's so unimaginable inhuman I can't even begin to understand it. _

_To think I pitied him... but I pity him still. Yet how painful it is to admit to myself that I fell for a person I must hate. _

_A part of me still denies that this is true and doesn't want to believe it. But I see no reason for the principal to lie to me. I must simply accept the fact that I have been fooled. _

_The research might even be put to use against him. Darn, what a cruel thought. Primum non nocere, Hyun Ae!_

She sadly shook her head and sipped her tea. She knew that this was going to be a long night.

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**Note:** "Primum non nocere" is part of the unwritten moral code of a doctor and means that the first concern should always be not to harm the patient. How did you like the chapter? Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long wait. Be aware that this chapter is the first to deserve the rating as there will be violence and (supposed) character death. If you don't feel up to that, don't read it.

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**Chapter 6: Karnofsky zero**

_The Karnofsky performance status scale is a medical statistical tool to describe a patient's level of activity and ability to help themselves. It goes from 100% (no limitations) to 0% (death). Hospital staff sometimes refers to deceased patients of having "Karnofsky zero", a habit of talking about confidential information without non-medical people understanding it._

Hyun Ae was walking to Principal Lee's with Shinwoo, Ikhan, Yuuna, Suyi and Regis. During the last few days she had found herself often at his doorstep, since she kept him up-to-date with hers and Bae's research on the samples and the distraction by the children was always welcome.

They stopped when a strange man appeared in front of them. Hyun Ae thought immediately that he was bad news. There was something about him that felt...evil.

Then he was gone. She had only blinked for a moment and he had disappeared. When she looked around herself she realized that Regis was gone, too. Was he fighting him?

She jumped when another man appeared behind them.

_Now that's some severe adipositas, _Hyun Ae thought, unable to switch off her inner doctor. Yet, this man, too, did not feel friendly. With carefully measured movements she zipped open her bag and rummaged around for a few agonizingly long seconds while the man closed in on her and the children. Then her fingers wrapped around something.

"Stop right there!", she hissed.

Hammer halted for a moment to observe the dark-haired woman who had stepped between him and the children. Something small and sharp was glimmering in her hand.

"You're not involved in this, woman", he said. "And what do you think you can do with such a small knife?"

Hyun Ae steadied her stance and smiled grimly. "That's no knife but a scalpel", she replied. "You better run along now, because I know where to cut to kill."

Something flew at them and then the man was behind her, whispering: "You would have to be able to cut me, in the first place."

Then the world went black.

_Why are those children here?_, thought M-21, panicked. And then, Shark moved and enabled him to see another unconscious person. It was an adult woman and although her face was obscured by the dark strands of hair that had fallen over it, he immediately knew that it was Doctor Choi. Something inside him clenched painfully. _Her too?_

Hyun Ae awoke to a throbbing pain and slightly dizzy feeling in her head. She moaned and opened her eyes.

She sat up abruptly. _We were on our way to the principal's house. Then those two men appeared and I blackened out. Did they kidnap us?_

She hastily looked around the room, saw the two men she recognized, another scarred one, one with a long ponytail and one with sharply cut black hair. The last man had half turned away from her, but she would have known him anywhere. It was M-21.

The children now stirred and the thinner of the two men who had abducted them approached them. Hyun Ae scrambled to her feet and blocked his path.

"What are you planning to do with these children?", she snarled. "Let them go!"

"My, how bold", drawled the man and came closer. "Shouldn't pretty women like you be more polite?"

"Stay away from me, you pig!", spat Hyun Ae.

Shark's face distorted with rage and with a movement so swift she could barely see it, he struck her hard in the face.

Hyun Ae let out a small cry of surprise and pain. She tasted blood in her mouth and one side of her face burned like hell.

M-21 gritted his teeth. _I can't let my comrades down now. If I act rashly, all was for naught. _

"Now", hissed the man and gripped her chin, forcing her head up. "Will you be more polite, you bitch?"

He was so close that she could smell his foul breath. Hyun Ae tried to pry his hand away, but realized that he was too strong. Her left hand slid into the pocket of her trousers.

"I'll teach you some manners before I kill you", said Shark and licked at her bloody lip. Hyun Ae shuddered with disgust.

Then her arm shot up to his neck and the blink of an eye later, a small fountain of blood gushed forth. She had punctured him with an IV cannula and pulled the stylet out in one movement.

Shark cursed and ripped the thing out of his neck. The bleeding stopped immediately.

"You little...!", he snarled and this time, he kicked her. Her head was thrown back and she landed hard on the floor. She nearly blackened out from the pain and when she gingerly touched a hand to her jaw, she thought that it might be broken.

"Doctor Choi!", cried Suyi.

"Are you all right, Doctor Choi?", asked Yuuna concerned.

Shinwoo stood up, fists balled. "You'll regret that, scum!", he shouted.

M-21's hands twitched. He could not bear to watch. Suddenly, the image of a light-haired woman appeared in his mind. She was shouting something, but he could not hear her words. He recognized her, yet he instinctively knew that he had never seen her before. He blinked and it was gone. His eyes refocused on the scene before him. He thought of his comrades. He would have to give up on their dream.

"No", Hyun Ae wanted to say, but the pain was too intense to move her mouth. Instead, she struggled to her feet and pushed the red-haired boy behind her.

She met the man's leering face with a fierce gaze of her own.

"You should have stayed down", grinned the man. "Perhaps I would have let you live."

He unsheathed a large curved knife.

Hyun Ae began to tremble.

_This might be too big for both of us, _she heard herself say to Bae. She now realized that she had had only a vague idea of what she was up against. She would truly die now.

She straightened up. Perhaps this could buy the children more time, perhaps this could somehow increase their chance of survival. She would claw and bite, even with a broken jaw, until the very end.

The man charged and Hyun Ae prepared herself for the impact.

It did not come.

Instead, a shadow flashed between them and the man stumbled back, several deep cuts in his chest.

In front of her stood a tall man with gray hair, blood dripping from his claws. M-21.

Hyun Ae did not understand. If he had been with those people from the start, why was he fighting now? Why was he putting his life on the line for them?

_He is losing, _she realized after some time. _He must have known that he stood no chance. Why did he still choose to protect us?_

When he finally collapsed, Hyun Ae was over him in an instant, barely noticing that Regis was now fighting. She wanted to instruct Suyi and Yuuna, but her jaw wouldn't allow her. And the girls did well without her help. They covered the deepest cuts with bandages made of his own shirt and Hyun Ae wished they hadn't taken her bag. She longed to be able to do more.

Carefully monitoring M-21's life signs, she sat back and anxiously watched Regis fight. The moment of relief when he easily defeated the man with the knifes was replaced by growing panic as she realized that even he was helpless against the scarred guy who seemed to be the boss of them.

Concentrated on the fight, she failed to notice that Shark was approaching them again. A moment too late she realized that M-21 would oppose him again. Her hand, meant to hold him back, closed on thin air.

He stood, swaying a little, blood slowly seeping through the white fabric of his bandages.

Hyun Ae wanted to lunge at this hateful man as he slapped their protector, but her legs would not support her. Then time seemed to slow down.

"Die, M-21!", cried Shark and buried his knife in the younger man's chest.

Blood splattered Hyun Ae's face as she sat rooted to the spot and watched him tumble down. She came to her senses barely soon enough to prevent his head from hitting the floor hard.

"Ajussi!", cried Yuuna.

With a doctor's reflexes, Hyun Ae pressed both hands down on the gaping wound. Her arms shook from the effort. _Don't let his heart be injured, _she thought frantically. _Don't kid yourself, Hyun Ae, you saw it. Without immediate surgery he is a lost cause. But his regenerative abilities...can't they save him? This is too severe. Nobody could survive an injury like this._

"Ajussi, wake up!", pleaded Ikhan.

"Do something, Doctor Choi!", sobbed Suyi.

M-21 heard the voices as if from far away. His chest hurt. Something held him down, but he lacked the strength to get up, anyway. He felt something wet and warm dripping down on his face.

_Are those tears?, _he wondered. _Why is someone crying for me?_

He felt cold and tired. _This is not such a bad way to die, _he thought.

And then, someone screamed.

"Don't die!", screamed Hyun Ae even though the pain from her jaw made her feel nauseous. "Please don't die", she sobbed.

Her hands, sticky and crimson, trembled. When she saw Rai enter the room, she knew that they were saved. But the thought only registered in the recesses of her mind while a sort of stupor had settled down on her and seemed to hold her frozen in place, staring down into the pale face.

_Funny, _said a tiny voice in her head. _The scar stands out even more like that. _

Suddenly a wild surge of hate swelled inside Hyun Ae, so intense that it blinded her for a moment. She wanted to crush those people who delighted in violence and torture, to whom a life meant nothing. She wanted not only to kill them, but to make them suffer. She wanted to hurt them, to punish them with her own hands until they were covered in blood.

She abruptly snapped back to reality and was appalled and shocked of her own thoughts. _Did I just lose all reason? Did I just transform, if only for a moment, into a woman I would loathe to be?, _she asked herself.

As she focused on M-21's face again, blurry through her tears, she felt nothing but an overwhelming sadness. The pumping of the shredded organ beneath her hands had grown steadily fainter. His breath was coming in irregular gasps.

Behind her back, Hyun Ae heard something like the roaring of rushing water and an intense smell of blood was in the air. She did not turn around.

She thought of the night on the roof. It felt like an eternity ago. With a pang of regret the realization hit her that she would never find out why he had looked at her with such distaste back then.

His heart had stopped moving. Hyun Ae knew better than to cling unto her hope anymore. Reluctantly, slowly, she let go of his chest and sat back on her knees. Her hands felt numb. Suddenly she was only exhausted. The children were safe, she could rest now.

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**Note:** You may have noticed that the story stayed close to the original plot until now. In the next chapter, the new plot will start rolling. As always, please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Neither Noblesse nor its characters are (unfortunately^^) mine.

**Author's note: **There's nothing to say except that it's glorious weather here and I hope the sun shines on all my readers, too! Enjoy the new chapter.

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**Chapter 7: Algesia**

_Algesia simply means pain. It is seldom used, whereas its counterpart, analgesia refers to all kinds of measures to reduce pain, from aspirin to laughing gas. _

When Hyun Ae opened her eyes again, she was lying in bed. The strong smell of disinfectant told her that she was at a hospital.

Her hand crept up to her jaw. _Don't let it be Schuchardt's arch bar, _she thought. The prospect of not being able to talk and eat properly for weeks did not seem very attractive to her.

But as she carefully tried to open her mouth, she was able to do so without problems.

"We fixed it with a microplate", said a voice to her left.

Hyun Ae turned her head and looked into a familiar face.

"Doctor Cheung!", she said happily. "How nice to see you again." Then she looked down herself. "Though the circumstances could be better."

The surgeon smiled at her.

"I can't say I haven't missed you, Miss Choi", he said. "And you left so suddenly and without a trace that we have kept this letter in the hope you would visit us someday."

He handed her a sleek cream-white envelope. "It arrived about a week after your departure. We did not know your new address, so it has waited here for you."

Hyun Ae turned the letter around in her hands. Her address at the hospital was neatly written on it, but there was no trace of a sender. Feeling suddenly wary, she laid it on her nightstand.

"I think I will open it later", she said. "How many days will I have to stay?"

Her former workmate considered her and took a peek at her record.

"About a week, I suppose", he replied. "Well, you know how it all works, right? I'll be off then. See you later, Miss Choi."

"Thank you, Doctor Cheung", said Hyun Ae.

When he was gone, she picked the letter up again. She looked around the room. There was space for two patients, but the other bed was currently unoccupied.

She took a deep breath and opened the envelope.

She had suspected it. Still, her hands shook as she recognized the sign in the letterhead. She hastily scanned the text. It was nearly identical to the letter Eddie had shown her five years ago. Her heart began thumping madly. She should take this chance. She needed to talk to Principal Lee and the others immediately.

Hyun Ae slipped out of bed and was relieved to find her old clothes in a bag in the wardrobe. She hastily pulled them on and went to search for a doctor.

"Yes, you understood me. I want to be discharged against doctor's advice. I know the risk, but something very urgent has come up. I need to leave right now." Hyun Ae talked in a calm, even voice although her head was in turmoil.

She did not even glance at the paper she signed and left the ward in a hurry. She had to pause for a moment in front of the hospital to remember in which direction Principal Lee's house would be from here. Once she knew, she set off in a brisk pace.

The principal opened her as soon as he heard her voice over the intercom. In contrast to his quick reaction, his gaze looked questioning when she entered his flat.

Hyun Ae gave him a glance of slightly bad conscience.

"I had myself dismissed against doctor's advice", she explained.

Frankenstein frowned. "I take it you had a good reason, Doctor Choi?", he asked.

"Yes", affirmed Hyun Ae, but before she could continue, her gaze had wandered across the room and fallen on a man with short black hair.

"Isn't he...one of _them_?", she whispered. She immediately guessed that he must have defected in some way, otherwise he would not be sitting casually in Principal Lee's sitting room, chatting and laughing with the children. _Thank god they are safe!_, she thought.

The blonde nodded. "He is on our side now", he explained. "A computer specialist."

Hyun Ae registered this information silently and stepped a bit further into the room. Now Shinwoo had noticed her and nudged the others.

"Hey, look, it's Doctor Choi!", he shouted. "Good to see you're already well again, Doctor Choi."

The others agreed and several smiling faces turned towards her. The black-haired man stood up and stretched out his hand.

"I'm Tao", he said. "Nice to meet you again under friendlier circumstances."

Hyun Ae took the sleek hand and shook it. "I'm Hyun Ae Choi", she replied. "Since they all trust you, I will do so, too."

"Is your jaw all right again, Doctor Choi?", asked Yuuna.

The doctor opened her mouth to answer, but then her heart skipped a beat.

Two men had entered the room. One was the guy with the long pony-tail and obviously on their side now, too. But the other one...

Hyun Ae's vision blurred. The ground seemed to shake beneath her.

"H-how can this be?", she whispered. "I felt your heart stop. How can you be alive?"

She felt everyone's stares on her, yet she could only look at his surprised face.

"Doctor Choi, what is it?", she heard Suyi say.

"Why are you crying?", asked Yuuna's concerned voice.

"What are you staring at? Do something, M-21!", demanded Regis in an irritated tone.

The look of surprise on his face made way to slight panic and helplessness. With a few quick strides he was across the room. He flinched when Hyun Ae flung her arms around his neck and shamelessly sobbed against his chest.

There was nothing that mattered. It meant nothing to her how he was saved. All that she cared for was to forget the searing pain and black emptiness she had felt at the prospect of his death. It did not matter whether he hated her, if only he was alive.

M-21 reluctantly folded his arms around the back of this shaking creature. He felt the uncomfortable gaze of many eyes on him. His thoughts were still racing.

_Why the heck is she crying?_, he wondered. _Why would anyone be this shaken up just because I survived against all odds? Why is she clutching at me so hard that it hurts? _

He moved one hand up to very carefully stroke the top of her head. Her dark hair felt incredibly smooth and silky under his touch.

Slowly, her sobs grew fainter. M-21 became acutely aware of how her soft breasts were feeling pressed up to his chest. But how could he get out of this situation?

"I'm glad", mumbled Hyun Ae. Then she finally lifted up her head and looked into M-21's face, her eyes rimmed with red, but she was smiling now. "I'm so glad you are alive", she said.

Then she became aware of their surroundings and she blushed deeply. She experienced a feeling of loss when they disentangled themselves and, just for good reason, took a few steps apart. Hyun Ae dared not look him in the eye, afraid of what she might see.

Instead, she turned around to the others.

"In fact, I have come because of this", she said and pulled out the letter. "It's from the organization. They wanted to recruit me, four and a half years ago. There might be a chance they haven't changed their opinion. I could gather invaluable information."

"You must be mad", said Tao and shook his head. "They'll kill you off in an instant."

"He is right, Doctor Choi", agreed Frankenstein. "It's too dangerous."

Hyun Ae balled her left hand into a fist.

"I don't care", she said coldly. "We cannot let this pass. There might not come an opportunity like this again. I'm in the perfect position to do this. The organization knows nothing about me. All they know is that I have done research on genetics and they want me to work for them. I would be at the source of their research. And being there, I would have access to all sorts of stored data, if I don't let myself be caught."

Takeo and even M-21 regarded her hopefully now.

"Are you not taking things too easily?", said Regis. "If you work for them you will have to do unspeakable things to others. Can you bear that, Doctor Choi?"

Hyun Ae paled. He was right, she had been naive. In her excitement she had totally forgotten about that. _How could I forget that?, _she asked herself. _No, I won't be able to. I cannot sacrifice people for some 'higher reason'. Where should the line be drawn? How many lives is it okay to destroy to save how many more? Ten? One hundred? One thousand? You know the answer, Hyun Ae. Even one would be too much. And yet, why can I not simply give up on the idea? Why do I selfishly cling unto this hand that will pull me down to hell? Is it for Eddie? For M-21? Even for my own conscience? How can I live with the knowledge that I have stepped on others to reach my goal? How can I...?_

She fell down on her knees and clutched at her head. There was a deafening roaring in her ears. The letter had dropped from her hands. She more felt than heard or saw the others moving to help her. A hand came down on her shoulder. Then someone shook her, so hard that her teeth clattered and the pain in her only half-healed jaw exploded with searing white fire. She cried out in agony.

But it brought her back to reality.

She looked up to see Shinwoo punch M-21 hard in the gut. The taller man gasped and doubled over, but recovered fast enough to dodge the following attacks.

"Yeah, teach him, Shinwoo!", shouted Ikhan.

"Shame on you, Ajussi!", cried the girls in unison.

Hyun Ae finally understood that this was about her and hastily came to her feet.

"Please stop it, Shinwoo", she said gently. As he did not comply, she added. "I don't think he meant to hurt me. Please bear in mind that he is injured, too."

At this, the boy lowered his fists. He was breathing hard and there was still an angry sparkle in his eyes. He turned his gaze on M-21.

"You should be more careful, Ajussi", he said. "Don't make Doctor Choi cry again."

Then he returned to his seat.

Hyun Ae's gaze fell on the letter on the ground. She picked it up and the moment her fingers touched the smooth paper, she knew what to do.

"I know this is selfish", she said, her eyes still fixed on the thing in her hand. "I might never again work as a doctor after this." She interrupted herself, suppressing a sigh. As she continued, her voice grew more steady. "But even if that's true, I still want to do it. I want to give my all to bring down the organization. This is something only I can do. Tao, I understand you are a computer specialist. Let us work out a code with which I will be able to pass information to you."

Frankenstein opened his mouth to speak, but before he could do so, M-21 had spoken.

"No", he said. "I will not allow you to risk so much for us. A doctor should be for healing people, not for experimenting on them, even if it is for spying. We will find another way to gain information. Tao is very skilled. This isn't necessary."

Hyun Ae whirled around, her face furious. A feeling of betrayal welled up inside her chest.

Then a clear, even voice resounded in the room.

"Learn to listen", said Rai. "You act as if you could command her. She is her own person, thus it is her choice what she does. Be silent and support her to the best of your abilities."

That ended the discussion. They spent the rest of the evening figuring out a safe code to convey messages which Tao and, as a back-up, Ikhan, could decipher.

"There is one main weakness", said Tao, still typing. "You will not be able to receive any messages from us. It would be too risky, no matter how good we tried to hide it. You will be on your own once the organization accepts you."

Hyun Ae nodded. "I can't be helped", she said. "I'll have to be without news for some time. I just hope they are still interested in me."

* * *

**Note:** Schuchardt's arch bar is a technique to fix jaw fractures. A wire is attached to the upper and lower line of teeth and holds the jaw closed. The patient is barely able to open his mouth and can only eat and drink through a straw. Since the patient could choke if he threw up, scissors need to always be in reach. It's an inconvenient technique, but still widely in use.

Anyway, did you like the chapter? Do you think people are in-character until now? Do you like how the story is developing? Is it even interesting enough? Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **I'm too tired for grand talk. Just enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 8: Catch 22**

_Catch 22 in its medical context is an abbreviation for cardiac anomalies, abnormal facies, thymic hypoplasia, cleft palate and hypocalcemia; a combination of symptoms that occur in children with a defect on chromosome 22. However, for this title I chose it because of its common use as a synonym for 'dilemma'._

They were interested. A mere three days after her answering letter, Hyun Ae was summoned to a meeting.

Figuring that they would keep her if she agreed, she said her goodbyes to everyone.

There were a lot of tears with Yuuna and Suyi and awkwardness with Shinwoo and Ikhan.

Seira wordlessly handed her a box of hand-made bento.

"Take care", said Regis.

"We wish you luck, Doctor Choi", smiled Frankenstein.

They all were unable to convey the amount of reassurance she got from Rai's barely visible nod and the look of his red eyes that was momentarily fixed on her.

Tao and Takeo shook her hand firmly.

Then there was only one left.

"Would you come out onto the balcony with me for a moment?", asked Hyun Ae.

The gray-haired man nodded and under the surprised gaze of the others, they stepped outside into the chilly autumn air and closed the door behind them.

"There was something I wanted to ask you", began Hyun Ae. "Since this might be the last opportunity..." Her voice trailed away. M-21 looked at her silently. Their hair was whipped around their faces by the harsh wind.

Hyun Ae took a deep breath and forced herself to look him straight in the eye.

"Back then at the roof...that hateful look...was it for me?"

M-21's eyes widened. He had not been prepared for that question. He cast his gaze down.

"No", he replied. "That was for me and the horrible things I have done. Things you could never forgive."

"Yes, I cannot forgive them", agreed Hyun Ae. M-21's head whipped up in surprise. _She...she knew?_

"Frankenstein told me what you did", she said coldly. "And I will never forget that. Yet...", she hesitated. Then she continued.

"I do not believe you are a bad person. Such a person would not have stood up against a much stronger enemy. You could have stayed back and watch us die. You did not. That I won't forget, either. Please keep on doing the right thing."

She stepped forth and kissed him lightly. The touch was so faint that it could have been his imagination, yet his lips were burning as if they were on fire.

He did not notice her going back in, still standing frozen in place, the wind playing in his hair, one hand raised to disbelievingly touch the place her lips had been.

When Hyun Ae set off for the assigned meeting point, it was a bright and clear morning. Leaves rustled beneath her feet on her way to the bus stop.

Houses, people and trees flitted by. The talk of the other passengers was a dim buzzing in the background. The sky was of a blinding blue dotted with shreds of clouds, sailing swiftly by.

_When will I see the sky again?, _she asked herself. _Surely, they won't let me out of the facility alone? _

The bus passed a wide open gate and suddenly Hyun Ae realized that this bus was taking a route that would take her past the school. For a fleeting moment she caught sight of a tall, gray-haired figure standing just behind the gate.

A sharp pain seared through her. His face was obscured by a few errand strands of hair, she could not read his expression. And then she was no longer able to see him.

Hyun Ae's heart thumped madly. She could not tell why this chance encounter shook her up so much. She also did not know what possessed her to kiss him the other day. It had made things harder on her. Just now she had felt immeasurable longing for him to just raise his head and catch her eyes once more. She shook her head.

_Stop being foolish, Hyun Ae, _she thought. _You're on your way to the lion's cave, so you better steel yourself. This is no time for womanly weakness. Focus on nothing but the task at hand._

The place she had been told to come to was a modern building housing several smaller companies.

Hyun Ae stepped through the glass door and made her way to an elevator. Normally she would have preferred the stairs, a doctor's habit of always choosing the healthiest option. But today, her knees felt so weak that she did not trust them.

The steel doors slid open and revealed a man in a dark suit. He nodded at her politely and left the elevator. Hyun Ae stepped into the confined space and pressed the button for the 6th floor.

She breathed deeply in and out to calm herself. With a soft 'ping' the door slid open and opened the view to a long carpeted corridor.

"Room 103", mumbled Hyun Ae while she wandered down the hallway.

Finally, she stood in front of the right door. Her hand trembled slightly as she knocked before entering.

Inside waited a middle-aged man with impeccably brushed black hair and heavy-rimmed glasses.

"You must be Doctor Choi", he said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Please have a seat."

Hyun Ae smiled and sat down. A shiver ran down her spine when the cold gray eyes flitted over her body.

The man brought his fingertips together and sat back in his chair.

"So you are interested in working for our organization, Doctor Choi?", he asked.

"Yes", nodded Hyun Ae hastily. "It would be an honor for me. To be honest, I did not expect you to be interested after I answered with so much delay." She coyly looked down and made an apologetic face. "I am very sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused."

"No need to worry", said the man and made a dismissive gesture. "We are happy that a fitting candidate such as you is applying for the job. I believe you already read our conditions?"

"I did", replied Hyun Ae. "And I accept them."

"Excellent", said the man and opened a drawer to take out a set of documents. He passed them over the table and handed her a pen. "You only need to sign here, then you have the job."

Hyun Ae made a joyous face and eagerly grabbed the writing device.

"Why, thank you so much!", she exclaimed. She skipped a bit through the pages and scanned the contents. Then she signed the contract.

For the blink of an eye, it seemed to her as if the pen did not write with ink but with her own blood. The moment passed quickly and she turned her gaze on the black-haired man again.

"Where do I go from here?", she asked.

The man smiled and picked up the contract, tucking it safely away inside his jacket.

"Follow me", he said.

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**Note: **Review? Anyone? That would make me so happy...


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine (unfortunately^^).

**Author's note:** Thanks to Bloody-WhiteRose97DM for the review, I really appreciate the feedback! I wanted to upload this chapter several days ago, but the Internet just wasn't my friend. I might compensate with posting another chapter in the next few days. Now enjoy!

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**Chapter 9: Callous unemotional traits**

_This expression is used to describe a total lack of empathy that can sometimes be found in children and is also characteristic for a so-called 'psychopathic' personality. The affected person does not produce the normal reaction to other people's pain which can be measured by a rise of cortisol and activation of certain areas of the brain._

As she had expected, Hyun Ae was immediately shown to the research facility and provided with a small flat three floors above the laboratory, but still beneath ground level.

In the wardrobe, she found a large set of impeccably ironed white coats, when she stored away her own clothing. She sat down on the bed, exhausted.

The eerie bespectacled man had left some time ago. She was to report to lab three the next morning. Except the bed and the wardrobe, there was a clean desk with all necessities, including a new-looking computer and a small metal voice recorder. On the nightstand waited an alarm-clock, already set to the correct waking time.

Hyun Ae stood up to inspect the adjoining bath-room. It was small, but would be sufficient. The cold-eyed man had told her that there was an all-time open canteen at their leisure.

This surely made it easier to accept all the limitations the contract asked of the scientists. They were not to leave the facilities at all times except with written permission by the head-researcher. They were not allowed to make contact with the outside world, going as far a taking away their mobile phones.

Hyun Ae switched on the computer. As she had thought, it was connected to a local intranet, allowing her to share and receive information from the whole facility, though many files were restricted and sealed off with passwords.

After a bit of searching, she found a fitting file and delivered her message. She had no means of knowing when Tao would find it, she just had to trust his abilities.

Somehow, being cut off from everything, she now felt deeply lonely.

"The first message, it's here!", shouted Tao.

In the blink of an eye, Takeo, Regis, Seira, M-21, Frankenstein and even Rai had gathered around him, looking over his shoulders onto the small screen.

"Lab location 21 Sunrise Avenue Live there too Not allowed out Been assigned to Dr Crombel"

"Doctor Crombel?", exclaimed M-21. "That's perfect!"

"It might indeed be a useful position", agreed Frankenstein.

The unpleasant sound of the alarm-clock ripped Hyun Ae out of deep sleep. She hastily showered and dressed. The material of the white lab coat felt strangely alien on her skin.

She met the first other person on her way to the elevator.

"Good morning", she greeted politely and stretched out her hand. "Hyun Ae Choi. I am a new researcher, assigned to laboratory three."

The other, a brown-haired woman, her hair in a tight bun, ignored the hand and regarded her fleetingly. "You're Crombel's new pet, then?" she commented in a cold tone. She made no attempt to introduce herself, but stepped wordlessly into the elevator and pressed a button.

Hyun Ae hurried after her and at one look into the others' face gave up on conversation.

_Nice start of the day_, she thought gloomily.

The laboratory was even more impressive than she had expected. There was only the newest technology including a CT, MRT and several PCR machines, centrifuges, an electron microscope, a highest grade isolation lab and everything else a scientist's heart could wish for.

"New here?", asked a voice to her left. Hyun Ae realized that she had been staring and turned around. It was a tall man with blond hair combed back from his forehead and a slight look of arrogance on his face. "Doctor John Brown", he introduced himself.

Hyun Ae shook his hand. "I am Doctor Hyun Ae Choi", she replied. "Would you mind showing me around for a bit?"

"Why not?", he smiled and gestured at her to follow him. He led her past the countless machines pointing them leisurely out. Hyun Ae only nodded.

Then they stepped through a heavy security gate and Hyun Ae stopped dead in her tracks. She had been to the cots where rats and rabbits were kept for experiments and had herself conducted many experiments on them. She had known that the organization was not keeping rats but humans, but still a lump formed in her throat when she caught sight of this room.

There were two long rows of tanks, each about three meters high and filled with a greenish liquid. Some were empty, but in most of them floated a human being connected with countless cables and tubes.

"Shaken up, eh?", asked her colleague. "Everyone is, at first. You'll grow used to them. They're all criminals anyway."

"Criminals?", asked Hyun Ae while they walked down the space between the tanks.

"Exactly", said Doctor Brown and made a nonchalant gesture. "We have their memories removed, of course, since it's easier to form them like that. But as far as I know, they are all convicted criminals. Murderers, rapists and the like. Nobody will miss them and like this they can still be of use to the society, don't you think, Miss Choi?"

"Yes", Hyun Ae forced herself to answer. "And by the way, it's _Doctor_ Choi, if you please. Would you tell me what you are researching here right now?"

Hyun Ae's head spun. Only vaguely did she register that the blonde was talking about animal-human hybrids. Her mind was still on his earlier comment.

_They're all convicted criminals?_, she thought. _If that is a common policy for the organization, would that mean M-21, too? Who was he in the past? What did he do? I must keep this to myself at all costs until I find out more._

It was another eight days and everyone was on edge until the next message came.

"Experimenting with animal-human hybrids None survived It is hard"

"Is there more?", asked Regis.

Tao shook his head. "That's all there is", he replied.

"Will she cope?", the white-haired boy said, an unusual hint of concern in his voice.

"She will because she must", answered Frankenstein smiling. In truth he himself was not so sure of it.

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**Note: **Do you think Hyun Ae's decision to join the Organization was wise? How would you have chosen in her situation? It will get worse, since Crombel will appear soon^^. Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **The next chapter is out! Since it is so short, I plan to post the next one rather soon. In the meantime, any M-21 fans of you can amuse yourselves with my oneshot "Wire and Wolf" if you like. It's in no way connected to this story, so it's just an extra I was in the mood to write^^.

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**Chapter 10: The things that we do**

_An hour before dawn_

_on a winter day's night_

_I woke and rose in the dark_

_So many my sins_

_and so blackened my heart_

_that I didn't know who I was_

_The things that we do_

_in the merciful night_

_oh how ugly they seem in the sun_

_Unseeing we walk_

_all innocent born_

_from heaven straight down to hell_

_How could we live_

_so sorrowless still_

_if others knew our soul_

_Thus masks we wear all_

_day after day_

_till ourselves start the lie to believe_

_So that is why I_

_to save me from harm_

_have lost and forgotten my self_

_But in the shadows all's grey_

_and the night shows us all_

_true and unveiled as we are_

_In the night I found out who I am_

_and the stars whispered soundless of sin_

Hyun Ae stared at the monitors. Her eyes wandered over the columns of numbers and data displayed on them. The unmoving green line of the ECG. The alarms resounded shrilly in her ears. She shut them out.

This time it was number 67. She had learned some time ago, that it was counterproductive to give them names. It only made things harder.

She had really hoped for this one to survive. He had meant to be a human-ape hybrid, which should have been easier since the genome was already similar in many aspects. Yet it just did not work out.

A thought flashed through Hyun Ae's head. She had considered this option as soon as she heard that they were doing research on hybrids. Yet it was unthinkable to use that. Dangerous, even.

_But if I use only a very small part of it?, _she asked herself. _It might even get me Doctor Crombel's attention if I manage to produce a hybrid that stays alive. And I could prevent another useless death._

_But wouldn't death sometimes be preferable?, _a small voice in the back of her head contemplated. She tuned it down. She had made her decision.

"Incredibly sorry Cannot make up for what I've done Used a part of M-21's sequence Subject survived Heard rumor of project called Pandora Trying to find out more"

"This is bad", said Frankenstein, as soon as everybody had read the new message.

"I don't really mind", said M-21, shrugging.

The blonde shook his head. "You don't understand. This could become really dangerous. If Crombel finds even the slightest hint of a connection to you he will suspect Doctor Choi. Let's hope for now that she covered her traces expertly."

Everyone had been ecstatic when one of the subjects, Hyun Ae still tried to refer to them as 'patients' in her head, though it sounded more and more like mockery, survived more than the usual week and seemed in stable condition.

Against her will, Hyun Ae was caught up in the excited mood and was even more pleased with herself, when she was told that Doctor Crombel wanted to see her in his office.

Her heart thumped heavily when she was standing before the door. She knew that this was a decisive moment and she must not give herself away. She drew a deep breath and stepped in.

"Ah, Doctor Choi", he greeted her and offered a seat. It was her first meeting him and she found that he was an impressive man, gray-haired but with a seemingly strong and healthy body, sharp eyes behind his glasses piercing into her.

"Doctor Crombel", she replied and nodded politely before sitting down. "You wanted to see me?"

"You worked out the sequence for R-82, or so I hear. It is the first promising result since we started this study. You are a talented scientist, Doctor Choi."

"Thank you for the praise, Doctor Crombel", replied Hyun Ae and felt honored against her will.

_He's the enemy! _she scolded herself mentally. _He experiments on people! ...But so do I._

"Seeing your potential I have thought about assigning you to a new project", he continued, leaning back in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face. "Of course you can refuse my offer and continue working on the hybrid experiments, but I think the matter might interest you. It is called 'Project Pandora' and we are doing research on a very interesting specimen. I will give you access to the corresponding files. Do tell me whether you are interested or not, Doctor Choi."

"I surely will", replied Hyun Ae. "Thank you for your trust in my abilities, sir." She slightly bowed her head and left the room.

Doctor Crombel pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled.

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**Note: **How do you like my Crombel? Is he evil enough? As always, I love you all and those who review even more!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Here I am again! Special thanks to Tiggipi for the kind review and to everyone who stayed with me so far. Since this chapter is quite on the short side, I'll try to update again as soon as possible. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 11: Coma**

_Coma is a state of deep unconsciousness in which the patient is unable to communicate and interact with his surroundings. It is often associated with brain damage and can last short to very long periods of time. There are a few singular reports of people waking up after years in a comatose state. On the whole though, it is a serious condition that often ends in death of the patient._

When Frankenstein disappeared they had to rely on Ikhan as a backup for the first time, since Tao insisted on coming on the rescue mission and they did not know how long it would take them.

M-21 remembered the look on Frankenstein's face down in his private laboratory. When he had first seen the facility and the possibilities it held, doubt had begun gnawing at him.

"If you had those opportunities for research all the time, why did you even consider involving Doctor Choi in this?", he had asked.

Then, for a fleeting moment, there had been a look of sadness and utter regret on the blonde's face until he had replied that it had been his master's wish.

Still an idea had struck M-21 back then and it had never completely left him.

_This well-polished lab. His zealous obsession with research. His unbelievably fast development of another 'D' for Tao and Takeo. Can it be? It seems unimaginable to even think that... but might he not be the one who started all this?_

Just as he tried to gather his thoughts another flash of memory struck him. They seemed to come more frequent now. This time he was with a group of people, running through the forest at night. Gunfire resounded nearby. Dry twigs snapped under his feet. The smell of blood and fear was in the air.

M-21 shook his head and struggled to find back to reality.

He found the others looking at him strangely.

"I'm sorry", he mumbled, "just lost in thought. I'm ready to go now."

"It's been two weeks", said Regis when they were drinking tea in the Principal's living room. They had all been back safely for a while and even Takeo had somehow managed to get over Doctor Arith's cruel mind games.

"The last message just stated that she had been assigned to 'Project Pandora'", said Tao. He sat cross-legged on the sofa, rechecking his computer for the third time this day.

"It is still too early to act", stated Frankenstein, calmly sipping his tea. "Perhaps she is just too busy to have an opportunity to report back."

"Don't you think it's suspicious that she would be assigned to a new project so early?", asked M-21. "She only started working there this month."

"She just stirred Crombel's interest by using your data", explained Regis.

"Or by other means", added Tao, smirking.

"And what would you mean by that?", growled M-21, eyes narrowed angrily.

"It seems like you aren't neutral in this case, M-21", said Takeo.

"Tch, I want the information she could gather the most", snapped the gray-haired man.

"Do not try to fool us, mutant", said Regis disdainfully. "I saw you two on the balcony. That dazed expression of yours. How many times have I told you not to get involved with humans?"

"And the kids are not human?", M-21 gave back.

"We give her three more days before we act", said a cool and even voice. It was Rai. Since everyone knew that objection was not an option, the argument was disbanded.

Still, M-21 left the house with a closed-off expression on his face.

_Is the Noblesse brat right?, _he asked himself. _Am I getting too 'involved'? What are you saying to that, guys? _In his mind, he tried to picture his comrade's faces. But all too soon, they blurred and the memory of Doctor Choi's tear-streaked face took their place and the feel of her hot lips on his.

_Am I starting to lose my objective? _M-21 thought. _And those visions keep getting more. Ever since Frankenstein told me, I've been wondering. Will _that _guy take over? Will I be wiped out before I even remember my name?_

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**Note: **M-21's past will slowly start to become more important. And they will soon meet again. Hope you liked it! Please review._  
_


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **As promised, a quick update. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Nyctophobia**

_The medical term nyctophobia describes an abnormal fear of the dark. It belongs to the same category as the very common arachnaphobia (fear of spiders) and claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). They can be treated by either a slow approach (desensitation) or a direct confrontation with the fear-inducing scenario (flooding)._

This time, the facility they were invading was not shut off. It helped a lot, though, that Tao had been able to hack into the security systems and manipulate them beforehand, so their approach took some time to be noticed.

Thanks to Seira's and Regis' help, the guards were quickly disposed of.

They searched the living quarters, but found them empty. This time of the day, all the scientists were working three floors below.

People in white coats scattered like leaves in the wind when they exited the elevator. It wasn't hard to capture one of them, a middle-aged man, who shook in fear.

"Where is Doctor Hyun Ae Choi?", demanded M-21.

The man let out a cackling laugh, but M-21 could almost smell his fear. "Doctor Choi is dead", he said. Then his face contorted with a look of terror. "Whatever you do", he whispered hoarsely. "Don't touch Pandora. Don't go near Pandora."

M-21 was about to let him go, when Frankenstein spoke up. "Where is Doctor Crombel?", he demanded.

"Not here", spat the man. "Left yesterday." He yelped, when he was flung aside violently.

M-21 walked on through the laboratory, carefully keeping his face expressionless. He knew that the others' faces had turned just as stony upon hearing the man's answer.

_Are we too late?_, he asked himself.

They entered the main experimentation space. Many of the tanks were empty. There was only a handful of subjects left.

At the end of the row was a door leading to a separate room. It was occupied by a single large tank. In it floated a slender woman, clad in a black bikini. Her dark hair flowed about her head like a cloud of smoke. It took only one look into her face to know who she was.

Frankenstein stepped up to the control panel and began adjusting it hurriedly. There was a burst of bubbles from the oxygen mask. Then her eyes flew open.

M-21 blinked. He thought that he remembered them being brown, with a few specks of green. Yet those eyes were red. Was it the colored liquid of the tank, playing tricks on him?

The water was slowly drained and then the glass slid open.

"Doctor Choi!", said M-21, taking a step towards her. "What happened?"

"How dare you approach me?", hissed the woman. "You filthy monster." She smirked at the look on his face and then she bowed nearer to him to whisper in his ear. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

M-21 watched in horror as his own shadow grew and changed form. Black tendrils snaked up his body and dark fingers slid around his neck, choking him. He clawed at his throat, but his fingers scraped only over his own skin.

He stared into those crimson eyes, desperately searching for the familiar look of compassion. But they were empty, like mere mirrors, reflecting only his own horrified face.

His nails left bloody trails on his neck. Dark blots began to dance in his field of vision and he felt his knees give way.

"Stop", said Rai.

The woman whipped around and stared at him. A look of annoyance crossed her face, only to make place for submission.

"As you wish", she replied.

M-21 felt the pressure vanish and he fell to his knees, gasping and coughing.

"My name is Pandora", said the woman. "Why have you awoken me?"

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**Note: **Yeah, I know, this one is even shorter than the last, but there is some major plot development. Your thoughts on that?


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Thanks again for the reviews, so you get a quick update as reward. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 13: Amnesia**

_Amnesia means loss of memory. We divide retrograde (past memory) from antegrade (new memory) amnesia. Amnesia can be caused by certain drugs, like benzodiazepines (inducing short-term amnesia that is useful during surgery and endoscopy) and damage to the brain, especially the hippocampus that is the main place for forming memory. In extreme cases, people are totally unable to built new memory which means that they forget events that happened a few minutes to hours ago immediately and live in the present only. Memory functions can be trained, but a dysfunctional hippocampus cannot be repaired. Amnesia is usually permanent which can be useful if uncomfortable memories are forgotten and highly disabling if large parts of memory are erased._

"This is disastrous", mumbled M-21.

"True", agreed Regis and sipped his tea. "I have never met someone so impolite."

"The only person she is taking orders from is Rai, it seems", said Takeo.

"As expected of the Opacus Clan", observed Frankenstein and pushed his glasses up his nose.

Regis and Seira looked at him with an alarmed expression.

"The Opacus Clan is extinct", stated Seira coolly.

Frankenstein smiled and sipped his tea. "I thought so, too. But it seems as if the organization got its hands on a surviving member. I'm guessing it was Leila Priscilla d'Opacus, heir to the clan's leader. It would explain her powers and her extraordinary arrogance." He made a sour expression with the last words, remembering their short dialogue after they had arrived back.

"_How dare you walk in front of me, scoundrel!", Pandora had hissed at M-21, as he entered the flat before her. With a whipping movement of her wrist, a sharp tendril of shadow flicked up and left a deep gash in his left cheek._

"_Please behave yourself in front of the other guests, Miss Pandora!", Frankenstein had demanded with a very cold voice._

_Pandora had eyed him with a derogatory gaze. "Are you not Cadis' slave, human? You have no right to order me around. Get me something to drink, instead."_

M-21 sighed and added another spoonful of sugar to his tea. "Be thankful she's just impolite to you lot. She hates the guts of me. I have no idea why."

"The reason is your blood", said Seira.

"What does his blood have to do with this?", asked Tao, finally taking part in the conversation. Until now, he had browsed through the big batch of data they had gotten from the main laboratory computer terminal. He was still typing rapidly, stopping only now and then to take a gulp from the cup of black coffee standing in front of him.

"Smells like dog", replied Regis offhandedly and smirked.

M-21 narrowed his eyes. "So what?", he snapped.

"While the most of the Noblesse families stay on neutral ground, the Opacus Clan was in conflict with the werewolves", explained Frankenstein. "Since your DNA slowly evolves to a werewolf's biological code, it means you are something like mortal enemies."

"By the way, what are we going to do with R-82?", asked Takeo. "I don't say it was wrong to take him with us, but somehow I don't trust him."

"Me neither", said Tao. "And I just found proof for that." He turned his laptop around so the others could see the monitor. The display showed a photo of R-82 and a short set of data on him.

"It says here that they took him from Yikhan prison where he had been sentenced to 50 years for armed assault, rape and theft in over twenty cases. He might not remember, but he has been quite the bad boy."

"Right now he's sleeping curled up on the floor in front of Pandora's bed. Though the mutations are stable, his behavior is affected a visibly. And I think he considers Pandora his pack leader", said Frankenstein.

"I think it's Doctor Choi he considers his leader", objected M-21. "She is the one who 'created' him, after all."

"If R-82 sleeps on the floor and likes to go for walkies, I wonder when we'll hear you howl at the moon, Wolfie?", drawled Regis.

"You better watch your mouth, Shrimp", growled the gray-haired man.

"See? Already growling", grinned the boy. Then he paled as Rai focused his calm gaze for a moment on him.

"That's beside the point", said M-21 and tasted the tea he had absentmindedly spooned full of sugar, made a face and hastily put down the cup again.

"What's most important now", he continued, "is how do we get Doctor Choi to remember?"

"I need to conduct a series of tests", said Frankenstein. "We'll need her..."

"Question is:", Tao interrupted him, "do we even want her to remember?"

M-21, Takeo, Frankenstein and Regis stared at him disbelievingly. Rai and Seira had obviously thought along the same lines since they calmly continued sipping their tea.

"I mean", explained Tao, "remember what she said back then? 'I might never work as a doctor again.' She experimented on people. Hell, she killed people. Remember how scared that guy was when he spoke of Pandora? When they first woke her, she killed every single person present in the room except Doctor Crombel. I just found the records. Seventeen scientists. Do you think she could forgive herself? She's not like us. She can't live with doing bad things even if she had a good reason."

"But", mumbled M-21 and clutched at his cup, "wouldn't that mean abandoning her? How can we decide what she can bear and what not? Do you really consider Pandora the better alternative?"

"She can fight", replied Takeo. "This may sound callous, but if you look at it objectively, she is much more useful now against the organization than before."

"Wrong", disagreed M-21. "She may be more dangerous, but more so to us than to the organization. Think back a few weeks. The organization had you in its palm. If we hadn't forced Krantz and Doctor Arith to reveal their true intentions, you'd still be working for them. Their erasing our memory is not some whim, it's making it far easier to manipulate us. How can we be sure that Pandora isn't truly loyal to Crombel?"

As always, all eyes looked to Rai for advice. He soundlessly put down the cup and inclined his head slightly towards the gray-haired man.

"I agree with M-21", he said. "Bring Doctor Choi back, Frankenstein."

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**Note: **What do you think of the plot development? Agree with Tao? Agree with Rai and M-21? Reviews make my day!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Noblesse nor its characters.

**Author's note: **I assisted a 6-hour operation in heavy x-ray protection gear today and I'm totally beat-up. Still, too tired to learn means I can post another chapter. Hope you like it.

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**Chapter 14: Pheromones**

_Pheromones are a type of scent molecules that are tightly entwined with the hormone system. It is not clear whether humans have a special area of the brain where pheromones can be sensed (in mice it is a part of the olfactory bulb). Common belief is that they have an impact on the choice of sexual partners. It is not clear to which degree this is true. Studies have hinted, however, that pheromones might influence hormonal functions, for example women living together for some time will have their menorrhea at the same time._

M-21 listened to the steady patter of the running water and leaned his forehead against the cool marble of the tiles. He felt his shoulders slowly relax.

Lately, he was barely able to sleep a night without the recurrent flashes of memories that left him wide awake and gasping for breath. He had also noticed that his sense of scent had sharpened to a degree that it was almost painful to step out onto the street to be overwhelmed by the countless smells of the city. He was adapting rapidly, though.

Eyes still closed, he grabbed the bottle of shampoo and began to rub it into his gray strands. He wondered vaguely whether his odd hair color was another result of the organization's work or whether he was just graying prematurely.

When he was rinsing his hair, he heard the door open and shut again.

"Oh, it's you", said a voice.

M-21's eyes snapped open. In the middle of the room stood Pandora shedding the last of her clothes.

He stood there, hands still in his hair, gaping at her. He could not think of anything but _Hell! She's naked! She looks hot._

It took him a moment to take in that not only was she slowly prowling nearer, but also examining his dripping wet body closely.

He suddenly became acutely aware of the long scar on his chest, that was still visible from Shark's attack and the fact that she must have forgotten how he acquired it. Somehow the realization felt painful. And then, two whole seconds later, he realized that he was stark naked and this woman was eying him like a juicy peace of meat. He felt a blush creep up from his neck.

"My, my", drawled Pandora and laid a small pale hand on his chest right above the scar. Then she bowed very near to his ear so that her breath sent a shiver down his spine as she whispered, "such a cute little beast..."

Then, with a sudden motion she pushed him aside and pointed to the door.

"Get out", she commanded.

Without as much as a second thought, M-21 grabbed a towel and charged out of the room.

Pandora sniffed the air. There was something about this smell that both repulsed and entranced her. The logic part of her brain had learned to hate it. Yet there was this dark place in the back of her head she had no name for, something she knew had something to do with the unintelligible pieces of memory that kept floating to the surface. This part was filled with wild delight by the smell. It too, had been the reason for the irresistible urge to touch the beast earlier. His skin had felt very warm and smooth. She eyed her hand wearily, as if it had betrayed her.

Then she shrugged and stepped under the warm spray of water.

Outside, M-21 ran straight into Regis.

The white-haired boy started, gave him a curious look and raised one thin eyebrow.

"Since when do you refuse to dry off after leaving the shower?", he asked.

M-21 rolled his eyes and tried to walk on, but Regis stepped in his way. "Something happened", he said evasively.

"That would be?", Regis persisted.

"Pandora happened. She barged in and threw me out."

"That! Ha!", Regis grimaced for a second, trying hard and unsuccessfully to hide a laugh. Then his face grew serious again. He sniffed. "You using Frankenstein's strawberry shampoo?"

"Better than smelling like blood", M-21 snapped, finally over the edge and trudged away towards his room.

Regis watched him go. For a moment it had seemed to him as if he had seen a flash of amber in those eyes.

M-21 sat up from the hard CT table.

"Fine, fine", mumbled Frankenstein, looking at the screen. Then he turned around to the gray-haired man. His glasses glowed in the white neon light.

"Any changes you have noticed yourself?", he asked.

"Yeah", said M-21 while he pulled on his shirt. "I can transform my whole arms now." He demonstrated it, then returned them back to normal. "And if I concentrate I can smell the position of everyone in this house." He closed his eyes and raised his head slightly.

"Seira", he said. "The kitchen. Rai and Regis. The living room. Tao. In his room. Takeo. On the balcony. R-82. Lurking in the corridor. Pandora... strange. She's not here."

M-21 opened his eyes and looked at Frankenstein. The blonde had a worried expression on his face and gestured for him to hurry up.

"Let's make sure, first", he said and climbed the stairs.

The woman was truly nowhere to be found and nobody had seen her leave. In the end, all eyes turned to R-82.

"You know where Pandora went, right?", asked Frankenstein. "Tell us where she is."

"Why should I?", gave R-82 back, crossing his arms.

"Tell us right now!", snarled M-21, his eyes flashing angrily. Within the bat of an eyelash, the tall, muscular R-82 was reduced to a cowering boy.

"Sure will!", he replied, still ducking himself on a level lower than the gray-haired man in front of him. "She went to Doctor Crombel."

"Just like you predicted", remarked Tao, nodding towards M-21.

"Where is Doctor Crombel now? Where did they meet?" demanded M-21.

"I- I don't know", replied the man. "She can feel where he is."

"I'll try to sniff them out", announced M-21, straightening up. "You come with me, R-82."

They were out of the house before the others could hold them off.

"Did you see that just now?", asked Takeo when they were gone.

"The dog cowers before the wolf", said Regis. "Since R-82 was created with him as a model, it would not be surprising that he thinks of M-21 as a superior."

"I agree", said Takeo and sat down next to Tao on the sofa. "But that wasn't quite what I meant. It's hard to describe."

"I know what you're talking about, Takeo", said Tao. "I felt it, too."

"Now you know why it is much harder for the werewolves to conceal themselves", said Frankenstein. He inclined his blond head in thanks at Seira, who was pouring tea.

"Humans feel that something is wrong in their presence. A vague fear like a half-forgotten memory of childhood stories about howling in dark lonely nights and gray shadows in the woods."

"Will this grow to be constant?", asked Takeo concerned.

"We know not", replied Seira, looking into her cup. As she continued speaking, a red spark lingered in the depth of her eyes. "We will know when we find out to whom the heart belongs."

M-21 and R-82 had given up the search. M-21 had realized that his sense of smell by far outshone the other man's, yet he had still lost the scent after a few miles. A vague feeling of dismay filled him. _I lost my pray, _he thought absentmindedly, then shook himself. _My pray? In what terms am I thinking?_

"Why don't we go back?", asked R-82. The evening was cool and chilly and a harsh wind was blowing on the roofs they crossed.

"I want to find out what happened", answered M-21.

"Happened where?"

"Can't you smell it? The dead?"

It took them a few blocks until R-82 could grasp the situation. There had been a big car accident. A truck lay across the street and several cars had crashed into each other, trying to avoid it. One was in flames.

They looked down on the flashing lights of the police and ambulances and the busy people hurrying to and fro.

Suddenly, the wind grew into a storm. It was only a moment later that they heard what was causing it.

M-21 looked up to the helicopter, and was momentarily blinded by a spotlight. His hair was violently whipped across his face.

"A news helicopter", he mumbled. Then he turned around. "Let's go."

The man looked up from his monitor towards a tall woman with chin-length blond hair. An expression of savage bliss was on his face.

"We've found him, Cassia", he said. On the screen was the blurred image of a slender young man with unusual gray hair.

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**Note: **Such a long chapter and then a cliffie, sometimes I'm mean^^. Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Noblesse and its characters ain't mine.

**Author's note: **Thanks to Tiggipi's review I'm motivated to post another chapter right now. Since the story is already above 40 chapters, don't worry I won't run out of new chapters anytime soon^^. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 15: Master of Puppets**

Pandora walked towards the large set of oak doors, her steps muffled by the thick carpet below. She was wearing one of the white school uniforms Seira had lent her and her dark hair flowed open down her back.

Without knocking, she pushed the doors open and strolled into the large room beyond. Half of the room was dominated by a granite fireplace, a sitting group and a steel and glass table. On both sides, the dim lights of the city shone through giant windows. Under one of the windows stood an enormous desk, occupied by three flat screens and towers of paperwork.

Doctor Crombel had his back towards her while she entered and stared down into the night. A curling cloud of smoke rose from the cigarette in his hand.

She observed his silhouette against the darkness outside for a moment and the door fell shut behind her.

Finally, he turned around to greet her.

"Pandora, dear, come and have a seat!" He gestured towards the sofa.

She sat down a bit stiffly, her legs carefully aligned, while he settled down in one of the armchairs and put out his cigarette in the still flawless crystal ashtray on the table.

"I had not anticipated seeing you again so early", he said and regarded her over the rim of his glasses. "A pity for research center Rho, by the way."

"R-82, the only successful experiment, is still alive", replied Pandora. Her red eyes flashed disdainfully.

"I take it you find him inadequate?", asked Crombel with a hint of mirth in his voice.

"Hmph", made Pandora. "He is little more than a dog on two legs. And I doubt his loyalty."

"Is that so?", said Crombel and raised one eyebrow. "Why didn't you bring him, though?"

"It was hard enough to escape unseen without him", answered Pandora.

"Ah, so you were taken in by somebody?"

"Yes. The house seems to be owned by Cadis Etrama di Raizel's servant, Frankenstein. There are two other Nobles, I know not to which clan they belong. You might be surprised to hear that Doctor Arith's experiments Tao and Takeo are still alive. And M-21 is with them."

Doctor Crombel's eyes lightened up. "M-21?", he repeated eagerly. "Have you seen his transformation?"

Pandora gave him a slightly annoyed look. "I have not. I cannot imagine what you see in the mongrel. He's little more than a beast. My hands itch to kill him!"

Doctor Crombel leaned back and smiled benevolently.

"He fascinates me. The fact that he and M-24 were the sole survivors of his row of experiments, and that he fooled me into believing he was a failure when in reality he had long known the opposite. He even killed one of my newer experiments that should have been much stronger than him. He was smart enough to survive until now. I need to examine him and see the changes!"

While talking in a more and more agitated tone, Crombel had risen and was now pacing the room.

Pandora's eyes followed his movements. Her mind traveled back to this morning and the sight of M-21 in the shower. She asked herself why she had not reported this incident when Doctor Crombel was obviously very interested in anything relating to the man. She told herself that it held no useful information. In truth she was unsure what to make of the whole episode. She had acted without thinking and only after a while the realization had hit her that her behavior had been undeserving of a Noble.

She snapped out of her reverie when Crombel addressed her directly again.

"I'm not wholly satisfied with your course of action, Pandora", he said with a slight hint of disapproval. "They will know you have been reporting to me, especially if R-82 proves to be as disloyal as you think. They might try to get rid of you. At the least they will be very careful what to say around you. You have two options: try to capture them all without killing and deliver them to me or regain their trust and feed me information without their notice. I leave the choice to you."

Pandora glanced into his calm, bearded face. She knew which option he preferred. Yet he was a person to stand up to his words and if he gave choices, they were real choices. She resolved to take some time ere she decided. She stood up.

"You will know my answer when I take action. Until then, watch your back, Doctor Crombel, as always."

"I will, my dear, I will."

He watched her retreating back fondly as she disappeared through the door. He never ceased to marvel at how a person could be altered if their memory was taken away. Of the passionate idealistic woman she had once been, not a trace remained. It was truly remarkable as if he had created a new being. He wondered how much she was like the Noble that had been sacrificed to lend her her abilities. With a final glance at the night sky, he turned to his desk. There was a lot of work to do.

"I'm back", Pandora announced simply as she walked into the living room of Frankenstein's flat.

"That much we can see", replied the house's owner coldly.

"Well?", asked Regis who suddenly appeared in her back, his arms crossed. "What did you tell Crombel about us?"

"Why would you assume I was with Crombel?", drawled Pandora, a look of arrogance on her face.

"I can smell your lies", growled a voice from the darkness of the corridor.

M-21 stepped forth, followed by R-82.

Tao and Takeo came in and joined Regis in her back. Rai and Seira sat silently on the sofa, regarding her emotionless.

"Tell us", said Rai.

Pandora clenched her teeth. She stared into his crimson eyes and she knew instantly that she would lose this confrontation. She also knew quite clearly that she could neither overpower them all with him there nor contact Doctor Crombel in secret without their knowledge.

"I told him that you brought me here." Her tongue seemed to move on its own accord. "I also told him that Tao and Takeo are alive and that M-21 was here. He was greatly excited to hear that. Since I could tell him not much more, he sent me back to capture you or spy on you for longer."

_So much for that, _she thought sarcastically. _Seems like I need to find a third possibility._

"We assumed as much", commented Frankenstein and then gestured towards the table. "Let's eat. Regis, come help me serve."

The tension in the room immediately dropped tangibly and everyone relaxed. Takeo, Tao, M-21 and R-82 went to fetch plates and cutlery while the two Nobles remained sitting.

Seira nodded at Pandora.

"Sit, Pandora", she said. "You look lovely in the uniform."

Pandora stared at her. She looked around the room. Where was the catch? The young woman's face betrayed nothing.

She shook her head irritated at her paranoia and went to follow Seira's invitation.

"You should be honored to dine with us", Rai addressed her suddenly. "For today Frankenstein cooked his specialty for us."

_His specialty?, _thought Pandora. _What can it be? Lobster? Finely prepared venison? Perhaps even fugu?_

Finally, after the others had laid the table, Frankenstein and Regis walked in, each carrying a tray with several steaming bowl on it. When the blonde set it down before her, Pandora stared.

Then she laughed.

It was ramen.

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**Note: **Nothing much to say except reviews make my day!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **As promised, a new chapter. Again thanks for the reviews, they really keep me going! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

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**Chapter 16: Cure**

_In real medicine, such a thing as a complete cure, which means the traceless elimination of an illness, is hard to come by. What comes closest would be a causal therapy as opposed to symptomatic therapy. Causal therapy does have the chance to make the illness disappear. However, there is always the risk of a relapse, sometimes after many years. If someone speaks of a cure, be wary, he is most likely a charlatan._

"Well then", said Frankenstein after everybody had finished eating. "Would you please accompany me, Pandora?"

"Where to?", asked the woman warily.

"To my laboratory, of course", answered the blonde. "For memory retrieval."

Pandora pondered these words for a moment. A part of her was curious, yes a part desperately longed to remember what the organization had erased from her mind. Yet the most of her knew that getting back those memories meant destruction. She was also quite sure that Doctor Crombel would be furious at her for surrendering.

That left her with no alternative.

She folded her hands as if in prayer and bowed her head.

"Shadow burial: devouring darkness", she mumbled.

As soon as the words had left her lips, the room darkened. Blackness rose like mist and entangled the others. It crept over their skin and reached for their mouths, their eyes, their ears, searching for entrance.

R-82 let out a loud wail. His eyes were wide open, the whites slowly turning black. "Get out!", he choked. "Get OUT OF ME!"

Regis slashed at the black tendrils. He was free for a moment until the shadows mended themselves.

"You cannot cut shadow", said Pandora triumphantly.

Then she twitched and her hand came up to her cheek. Her fingers were tinted with crimson.

"Yet I can cut _you_", spat Regis.

Pandora let out an angry snarl and a wave of darkness reached for the boy. There was a sickening dry crack. Two tendrils had grabbed his arm and snapped it like a twig.

Regis gasped and collapsed to his knees, clutching at his now useless arm.

In an instant, Seira had positioned herself between him and their enemy, brandishing the grand scythe of her clan.

"And you cannot kill what had no life from the very beginning", said Pandora calmly and raised her left arm.

Although Seira dodged her attack with amazing speed, there was no place left to step that was not covered in shadows. Her foot was caught and she was soon rendered immobile by the mud-like black mass that covered her lower body.

"I would loathe to kill you", said Rai. He was standing up straight. A thin red mist enveloped him and no shadow fell where he stood.

"Since that body is not yours", he continued. "But being entwined with this soul you would perish along with it."

"Surrender, Pandora of the Opacus-Clan", said Frankenstein, slowly approaching her.

Pandora hesitated. Then she felt a sharp pain on her neck. Within a moment of inattention, razor-like claws had closed around her throat.

M-21 let out a low growl.

"Deactivate your power or I'll chop off your head", his deep voice said.

With her highly alert senses, Pandora saw everything with surreal clarity.

R-82, thrashing on the ground, struggling against the darkness devouring him from the inside.

Regis, on his feet again, a look of deep hatred etched into his face, his pointed teeth clenched against the pain.

Seira, standing tall in front of her peer, brandishing the death's scythe so skilfully, that she had cut herself completely free from the shadows.

Takeo and Tao, already covered in blackness, still each pointing an arm at her. Only now did she notice that her right arm was bound and that the point of Takeo's gun was aiming for the center of her head.

Frankenstein, emanating power, his face terrible to behold, the blond hair whipped about by an invisible wind, slowly, deliberately advancing towards her.

The sharp claws and soft fur of M-21's hands against her skin, shaking with a tremor so slightly that it might have been her imagination.

And Cadis Etrama di Raizel, standing across the room, gazing calmly at her. His presence was like a promise of evisceration, his crimson eyes piercing into her own, all her thoughts laid bare.

Pandora lowered her arms. Light returned to the room. At once, everyone's weapons were pointed at her.

"Do you still wish to resist?", asked Frankenstein.

Cautiously, Pandora shook her head. The weapons were lowered.

"I shall go and fetch the man", said Takeo and left the room.

Pandora lay down on the cool metal of the examination table. As she felt the prick of needles against her skin, the feeling seemed familiar. A vision drifted into her head, of laying flat on cold steel, held down by sharp-edged shackles, a dazzling light making her eyes water. She had been aware of another person in the room beside her, just out of reach, likewise bound and first angrily snarling and thrashing, then, after some time, only whimpering.

"Now applying NN2-2591 to cancel out scopalamine-induced amnesia", said Frankenstein.

Pandora's eyes flew open, staring at the ceiling without seeing it.

"My blood!", she cried. "They've taken my blood!" She paused, breathing heavily.

"A stem cell transplantation?", she continued, her voice now less frantic and more disbelieving. "What happened? Where am I? Is that you, John? What are you doing to me?"

Her eyes closed again and she took a few deep breaths.

Eyes closed, Pandora did not see the anxious faces watching her. Tao busied himself with the data that kept filling the monitor on the far wall. Regis and Seira had stayed behind to restore the living room. That left Rai, whose face betrayed no emotion, and M-21 together with a still quivering R-82 to watch Frankenstein's efforts.

A shudder went through the body of the woman. She began mumbling a fast stream of words that made little sense to the observers. Then her voice grew stronger.

"How could they...? I am a disgrace, a disgrace on my noble house! Mere humans, tainting my precious blood. Making me weak, so weak..." Her voice dwindled and died away.

Frankenstein paused, a filled syringe already in his hand. He frowned and felt for a pulse.

"NN2-2591 resulting in only fragmentary retrieval. Higher dose will likely result in circulatory side-effects." He lowered his voice recorder and turned to speak to the others.

"I will stop here for today. We should bring her to a spare bedroom and try unlocking more memory with the help of her friend. Tomorrow I will try bacoba monniera in case they also used diazepame."

M-21 nodded. A look at R-82 showed him that the man was still too terrified to be of any use. So he picked Pandora up on his own and carefully cradled her against his chest.

Upstairs, Seira and Regis were already waiting with a tray of tea.

Just as M-21 made his way to the bedroom, Takeo burst in with a bespectacled man.

"Hyun Ae!", cried the man as soon as he gained sight of Pandora. He hurried over and grabbed her hand. "Hyun Ae, what happened? I was worried when you stopped coming to the lab. Today I was close to calling the police, but then this stranger appeared claiming he knew where you were. Please say something, Hyun Ae!"

The red eyes scrutinized him confused. "Who is this Hyun Ae you are talking to?", she asked.

The man blanched. "Who...?", he mumbled tonelessly.

"Doctor Bae Kim, I assume", said Frankenstein smoothly and held out his hand. Bae nodded absently and shook the proffered hand reflexively.

"Frankenstein Lee. I am principal of the school Doctor Choi has been working at recently. I will explain everything in a few minutes. M-21, please proceed."

The gray-haired man nodded and continued walking down the corridor. While his eyes followed him, Bae suddenly understood.

"You are the man she was talking about, are you not? The one with the constantly mutating DNA. The one with the wolf genes."

"He is indeed", said Regis since M-21 failed to respond.

They gathered around the bed. For an agonizingly long period of time, everyone sipped their tea silently.

At last, Frankenstein spoke.

"I take it Doctor Choi told you about the organization?", he inquired politely.

Bae Kim nodded. His gaze fell on the woman on the bed again and he took off his glasses to clean them with the hem of his shirt.

"She also told me they were dangerous. And that the police would be no help. I never thought that matters would become so serious at once. What happened to her? Why are her eyes depigmented?"

"She went to work for the organization in order to spy on them. While she was there, she became an experiment herself. She has severe memory loss to the point that she does not remember who she is. We thought that you, knowing her longer than we do, could somehow help to regain a part of her memory."

The laboratory chief had finished wiping his glasses and slowly pushed them on again. He sat for a moment like this, head bowed, his right hand on the bridge of his nose, the left one balled to a fist. He seemed to be struggling for a decision.

Then he raised his head.

"Fine", he said. "Have you acquired a blood sample?"

"I have indeed", replied Frankenstein with a small smile. "Though it would be of more use if I had a sample before the meddling. I also already applied NN2-2591. It is a drug that cancels out scopalamine-induced amnesia in rats."

"We'll see whether it does in humans, too. I'll try", said Bae.

He stood up from his chair and sat down on the bed. He carefully took one pale hand in his.

Pandora made an unwilling face and tried to pull away, but he held firm.

He locked eyes with her and began to talk with a calm and even voice.

"Listen to me now. You are Hyun Ae Choi, born the 21st of July 1978. You lived near Suwon where you studied medicine. That is where you first met me, Bae Kim. You received your doctor's degree for a study on the genetic factors in diabetes mellitus. You are a passionate idealistic doctor, eager to help anyone in need. You are a rather shy person, but once befriended a charming and warm-hearted woman. A month ago you came to me with a mysterious sample that you tested at my laboratory. You consulted with me and told me of an organization that experiments with humans. You were still the old, idealistic Hyun Ae who would sacrifice everything on the behalf of others. Do you remember any of this?"

She looked at him silently. For a fleeting moment he had the impression that there was a spark of recognition in her odd red eyes. Then she shook her head.

"I remember nothing", said Pandora. "Any time I try to recollect something from before I woke in the tank, there is only blackness and shattered pieces which don't make sense. Somehow I do know that I should remember a person with your name and the nervous habit of cleaning his glasses, but there is not much more than that. Also..."

She winced and clutched at her head as if in pain. It took her a moment to gather her breath again. She looked around the room.

"What are you doing staring at me?", she hissed. "Especially you." She glared at M-21 and made a gesture to R-82. "Throw them out. I won't say anymore."

Since Rai stood up and left the room, the others followed him. Only R-82 hung back, although an uneasy gleam was in his eyes at the prospect of being alone with Pandora. He closed the door behind them and they heard him settle down.

They went back into the living room. Frankenstein offered Doctor Kim to stay over, but the scientist shook his head.

"I need to go back to the laboratory", he explained. "I can't allow the work to pile up. I promise I will be back tomorrow as soon as I've organized a substitute."

* * *

**Note: **NN2-2591 is indeed a real drug, I looked up studies in pubmed^^. Any thoughts on the chapter? Review, review, review!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Since today is a holiday in Germany (Ascension Day) and I've been lazing around in the sun all day, I thought I should at least upload a new chapter. Finally, the suspicious people looking for M-21 are revealed. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 17: Rabies**

_Rabies describes an infection with the rabies virus after the bite of an infected dog, fox, wolf or cat. Carrier animals are said to behave unnaturally tame and friendly. The virus affects the central nervous system and leads to cramps of the respiratory muscles, inability to swallow while suffering thirst, and paralysis of the heart. When infected, only a rapid vaccination can offer the slim chance of surviving. Once the disease manifests, death is certain._

M-21 dreamed. He was sitting in a comfortable armchair, his feet on a thick rug, fire crackling in the fireplace.

A tall man was standing at the mantlepiece and stoking the fire with a heavy iron poker. He had his back to M-21, but was talking to him with a heavy french accent.

"And then I said to her that they should leave, _s'il vous plait_ or I would let _les chiens_ loose. Now imagine what _cette impertinente femme_ replied. She said I could bark at her all I want and that I should be grateful they did not hunt us down like the beasts we are. Beast she called me! How dare she, _cette créature de sang et morte_!"

"Calm down, Henri", M-21 heard his own dark voice say. "They only try to provoke us. They would never dare to do anything. All idle talk."

At those words the man at the fire turned around and M-21 looked into a face framed by curled dark hair, with a pair of intelligent brown eyes and a large straight nose. As he began to pace in front of the flames, he threw dancing shadows on the walls of the room.

"But the affront! I have my pride, Alan, _ne-tu comprend pas_? We cannot simple ignore their insults. They are getting more brazen by the day! How can you sit back and laugh it all off?"

M-21 shrugged and was about to respond when they both turned at the sound of the door opening.

Before he could see who walked in, M-21 awoke with a start. The room was completely dark and for a moment he wondered what had woken him. Then a sound caught his ear. It came from Pandora's bedroom. She was moaning and mumbling in her sleep.

"Don't die. Please don't die." She made a choked sound that could have been a sob.

M-21 sat frozen. He had heard those words before. Someone had screamed those words in agony when he almost died. So it had been Doctor Choi. So she was remembering it, even if it was only in her sleep. Unconsciously, his hand had come to rest on the slowly fading scar on his chest. Under cover of the darkness, a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Man, that was fun! We totally ripped those guys off!"

Shinwoo stretched his arms and grinned at Ikhan.

"Still, it would have been more fun with the others", said the bespectacled boy.

"Right", said Shinwoo, a little subdued. "But since they're always busy lately..."

They walked for a moment in companionable silence. Overhead, the street lights flickered to light and dipped the darkening streets into a warm, yellow light.

When they walked past one of the shadow-filled alleys where the light did not reach, a big dog padded towards them.

"Hey, Ikhan!", shouted Shinwoo. "What a cool dog! It looks like a wolf!"

Ikhan turned and instinctively inched a little farther away from the creature. The dog sniffed and approached them further, wagging its tail.

"Come here, boy", said Shinwoo and stretched out his hand to pet it.

Ikhan suddenly yanked his arm away.

"Don't touch it, dumbass!", he said. "Who knows whether it bites?"

"But it doesn't even growl", said Shinwoo in a disappointed tone. "And it wags its tail, it's friendly."

"It might have rabies!", gave Ikhan back and pulled the red-head along with him. The dog followed them at a distance.

"You know, animals infected with rabies are said to be suspiciously friendly. And when you don't expect it, bam, they bite you! So don't go around petting stray dogs."

"Aw, you're no fun", Shinwoo complained, but he followed his friend.

He was more than surprised the next morning, when he exited his flat to be presented with the same dog, sitting at his doorstep. It looked like it had been obediently waiting all night. It still wagged its tail and there seemed to be something like a mischievous grin on its furry face.

"Quite the persistent little bugger, huh?", grinned Shinwoo and resisted stroking over the light brown back while he sidestepped the obstacle.

"Well, I've got to hurry. See you around!"

He set off in a half-jog since he was, as always, running late for school. When he glanced to the side after a few blocks, he saw none other than the dog, keeping pace with him, its tongue lolling out.

Shinwoo grinned and sped up. The dog let out a bark and went even faster. It grew to be a full-out race and Shinwoo was laughing and at the same time trying to catch his breath, until the school gate came into view.

The boy slowed down and walked the last few steps, panting heavily.

"Thanks to you, I'm even five minutes earlier than usual", he said. "I guess you've earned this, then."

He stopped and crouched down in front of the animal. Tentatively, he raised his hand in front of the big snout and as the dog made no move to bite him, he stroked its head and ruffled the fur at its neck.

"Goodbye, pal", said Shinwoo straightening up. "I go in here and you're not allowed inside. Let's race again sometime."

He turned around and went through the gate.

"'lo, Ajussi!", he said at the sight of M-21 patrolling the court. Then he jumped as a brown shadow flashed past him and bumped against the slender man, ripping him off his feet with this surprise attack.

"Whoa, hey!", shouted Shinwoo and ran over. "You alright?"

"What the heck?", said M-21 and tried to push the dog off while it tried frantically to lick his face. "What's with this mutt?"

At this, the dog suddenly snarled and snapped at his arm. M-21 let out a low growl and gave it a hard punch that sent the dog flying. It picked itself up after a moment of irritation and continued growling at him, ears flat and showing an impressive set of teeth.

M-21 came to his feet and eyed the dog warily.

"Perhaps it's really infected with rabies", pondered Shinwoo. Then his eyes fell on his watch and widened. "Fuck, I'm late again. See ya, Ajussi!"

As soon as he was out of sight, the dog sniffed, looked around and transformed into a tall blond woman who glared at M-21.

He kept his face carefully calm, because the moment he saw her face he realized that the strangely familiar scent that had tickled his nose for some time this morning, had been hers.

"What a way to welcome me, Alan", said the woman.

"Well it's not like I truly know you", replied M-21. "Come back this afternoon. I've got work to do." He made to turn around.

The woman's face contorted with rage and she charged at him. She made to grab his jacket, but he dodged swiftly and her hand closed on thin air.

"How dare you!", she snarled. "How dare you treat me like some stranger. Can't you remember, Alan?" She breathed heavily while staring him in the face. After a moment, she calmed down.

"Though it might be because of that guy you got this body from. Am I right?"

Now it was M-21's turn to grow angry.

"What's that supposed to mean? Your damn friend is the one trying to take over. This is still MY body and not his! Whatever business you have with him, he's dead!"

He whipped around and stalked off with long strides. The woman stayed behind, a shocked expression on her face.

"Alan, dead?", she mumbled. "But if that's true, why do you smell like him?"

"There _tu es_!", came a voice from the gate. "Is he here, Cassia, have you found him?"

Cassia turned around towards the dark-haired man that approached her. His expression changed from anxious excitement to worry as he saw her face.

"I did and I did not", she answered. "Say, Henri, you smell it too, right? Alan's smell I mean."

"Since three blocks ago", grinned the man. "_Pourquoi est-ce que tu_ are asking things that are evident?"

"He's not just different looking", said Cassia. "He is another person. I think that he recognized me, but he is not Alan. What do we do?"

"We talk to him", said Henri and laid one arm around her shoulder, his other hand ruffling her hair. "And now don't make that face, _ma belle_."

Cassia forced a smile. "He said to come back this afternoon. Seems like he works here."

M-21 had half-forgotten about the encounter from this morning. Thus he was quite surprised to find the woman together with a dark-haired man he remembered being called 'Henri' in his visions waiting for him at the gate.

"Who's that?", asked Tao. "Don't say..."

"No", M-21 hurried to say. "They're not from the organization."

He wanted to add something, but stopped himself when Seira and Regis arrived and immediately went to talk to the strangers. Rai stayed behind, but they could feel his presence in their backs.

"So it is you", said Seira evenly. "Henri and Cassia of the Coreanus Tribe."

"You must be Regis K. Landegre and Seira J. Roiard, _quel plaisir d'atteindre vous_", said Henri smoothly and kissed Seira's hand. Cassia and Regis simply nodded at each other.

"And I see you are in noble company", he continued at a glance at Rai. He bowed elegantly and gestured to Cassia to at least curtsy. "_Soyez salués_, Cadis Etrama di Raizel. It has been quite some time."

"Indeed", answered Rai and inclined his head. "You may accompany us."

A bit startled, Henri and Cassia joined the crowd and followed them on their way to the Principal's house.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?", said Regis in a low voice to Seira. "A certain person will wreak havoc if we bring two of them."

Seira regarded him with the wise look of a much older sibling. "Rai invited them", she said.

Regis waited for her to say more, but she did not elaborate further.

"How do you know these guys, then?", asked Takeo.

M-21 looked a bit uncomfortable, but he finally answered. "It's not me who knows them. It's this man whose heart the organization transplanted me."

"Really?", said Tao. He whistled between his teeth. "Awesome. So it really is a werewolf's heart!"

"That doesn't explain anything", insisted Takeo. "Even if you have his heart... that can't mean you..." He fell silent and stared at the gray-haired man. M-21 nodded.

"I have these dreams. I believe they are shreds of his memory. And they are becoming more frequent."

Both looked at him with worry now. They knew what that implied. And they knew that this must be even harder on M-21 who longed for nothing more than to regain his own memories.

* * *

**Note:** Since the French might not always be clear from the context, I'll give the translations here:

_s'il vous plait - _please (literally: As you please)

_les chiens - _the dogs

_cette impertinente femme - _that impertinent woman

_cette créature de sang et morte - _that creature of blood and death

_ne-tu comprend pas? -_ don't you understand?

_tu es - _you are

_Pourquoi est-ce que tu - _Why are you

_ma belle - _my dear (lit.: my beauty)

_quel plaisir d'atteindre vous -_ My pleasure to meet you

_Soyez salués - _We greet you

Well? What do you think?


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note:** The weekend is nearly over so here's a new chapter. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 18: Two sides of a coin**

Frankenstein looked up from the papers he had been reading when the door opened. He threw Takeo a questioning glance when he saw him entering alone.

Takeo closed the door hurriedly.

"Where's Pandora?", he asked.

"In her room", replied Frankenstein. "Why are you asking?"

"What's this smell?", came a voice from the kitchen. R-82 peeked in, a curious expression on his bearded face.

"Visitors are coming", Takeo blurted out. Then he lowered his voice so only Frankenstein could hear. "Werewolves."

The blonde's eyes widened slightly. Then he turned to R-82 with a smile.

"Would you kindly throw some more meat into the pan? And you go and fetch Pandora, Takeo."

The man nodded confused and made for Pandora's room.

He knocked politely. After waiting for a few minutes without receiving an answer, he shrugged and pushed the door open. He found the woman sitting on her bed, fully clothed, dreamily hugging a shirt to her chest.

At his entrance, she twitched and dropped the piece of clothing. She was sitting cross-legged and without the shirt, her short skirt offered Takeo a bright view of her panties.

He blushed and averted his eyes.

"I-I was told to fetch you. The others will be arriving soon", he said.

"Why would I care?", Pandora drawled and flopped down on her back.

Takeo, focusing all his attention on a potted plant in the far edge of the room, considered his options. Going back to Frankenstein without fulfilling his order: Unacceptable. Using force: Impossible. He tried blackmail.

"I think Rai might be displeased by your absence", he said nonchalantly.

At this, Pandora's head whipped up. With an exaggerated sigh, she sat up.

"If I would be missed this dearly, I guess I cannot disappoint you. I will be there in three minutes."

Takeo grinned inwardly and congratulated himself on his success while he went back to the living room.

He stopped dead when he saw that the others had already arrived. While M-21 and Tao were busying themselves with laying the table, the dark-haired man who had introduced himself as Henri de Coreanus, appreciated the furnishings. The blond woman had her arms crossed and made a show of letting herself be convinced by Seira to sit down.

Everyone froze when Pandora stepped in.

She had changed out of the uniform into a cream-white dress that had the simple cut of greek clothing and fitted well with her dark hair that lay open on her shoulders.

As soon as her eyes caught sight of Henri she went pale as a sheet.

"YOU!" both cried in unison.

Pandora threw out an arm and a tendril of shadow reached for Henri while his hands transformed into paws with razor-sharp claws, covered in black fur.

Rai wiped the shadow aside with a brush of his hand. "Stop", he ordered.

"How dare you come under my eyes again, you monster!", hissed Pandora.

"_C'est tu qui es le monstre!_", growled Henri. "_Salope!_"

"Silence!", thundered Frankenstein. "I will not allow such disgraceful behavior under my roof. You both will calm down and eat now. And you, Miss Cassia, will pay for the armchair you ruined!"

All eyes turned on the blond woman who stood ready to jump on the seat of the piece of furniture that she had sliced up in her fury. It spoke for her that she had the decency to blush and settle down without further ado.

The others followed her example and the meal was taken in peace.

M-21 could not help but risk a glance at Pandora in her dress. Immediately, the memory of her naked body from the time she had burst in on him in the shower, came to his mind. He swallowed and quickly tried to focus on eating.

"Why are you here, anyway?", asked Pandora after they had finished.

"Only because of Alan", said Cassia and laid a hand on M-21's thigh, causing him to flinch.

"So the rumors are true", Pandora spat with contempt. "You allied yourself with these humans for the sake of more power."

The all too familiar words strung a chord in M-21. But as he opened his mouth to retort, Henri had already spoken.

"You are mistaken, Leila Priscilla d'Opacus", he stated calmly. "Master Alan disappeared five years ago. We have been searching for him ever since. Though it seems that you struck a bargain yourself with these humans."

"If killing me and leaving only scraps of my former self inside this weak woman can be called a deal...", Pandora replied sarcastically.

"Watch your tongue!", bristled M-21 and his light eyes flashed angrily. "Don't you dare soil Doctor Choi with your filthy words!"

_So she is dear to you, is she not?_, thought Pandora. _The woman to whom this body belonged. Interesting, M-21. How useful that might be..._

All heads turned when the doorbell rang. Frankenstein stood up to answer it.

Doctor Bae Kim stepped in and nodded at the Principal.

"My assistant is taking over things at the lab for now", he explained. "So I will be able to come here for some hours every day to make sure we progress with the memory retrieval."

"Well, since you are here...", said Frankenstein and turned to Pandora. "We'll go downstairs. I excuse myself, Cassia and Henri de Coreanus, this matter shall not wait. If you wish, we will make room for you to stay."

"I refuse to stay under the same roof as that slut", said Cassia indignantly.

Seeing Pandora's furious expression, Henri quickly cut in. "_Je m'excuse_ for her behavior. We had a long journey. I fear I must decline your gracious offer, Frankenstein Lee. We already arranged our _place pour dormir_."

He turned to M-21. "There are lots of questions we have to ask. Would you come with us for the time being?"

As M-21 hesitated, Frankenstein said with a smile, "If I have your word that we'll have him back safely sometime today, I'm sure he wants some answers himself."

"_Bien sûr_", replied Henri and inclined his head. Both werewolves stood up. Now finally M-21 agreed and joined them. They left the flat without another word.

"We're getting nowhere here", complained Bae a few hours later.

"True", said Frankenstein. "I had hoped the bacoba monniera would have a greater effect. It seems like we have hit a wall."

"We need more insight into Hyun Ae's past. But we cannot involve any more people", said Bae. Suddenly his face lit up. "I forgot completely! Hyun Ae gave me a second key for her apartment before she departed. At that point I thought it immoderate, but it might prove useful now. I'll go right now and will be back as soon as I find out more."

About half an hour after he had been gone, the door flew open and M-21 stumbled in. He was breathing heavily and there were several deep gashes on his arms and chest.

"Those bastards!", shouted Takeo when he saw him. He and R-82 hurried to help him to sit down. Tao and Frankenstein came running from other rooms.

"I'm fine", said M-21 between two pants. "It was my fault, really."

"What passed?", asked Rai and pushed the tea tray over to him.

"It seems they originally believed I was one of their tribe called Alan. They say that I have his smell. Thanks." He took the full cup Frankenstein pushed into his hands and took a sip of the hot liquid.

"When they found out that I only possess this Alan's heart and a part of his memories, they tried to force me to remember. I just kind of flipped. I felt his personality coming more and more to the surface to the point that I could no longer distinguish between what he remembered and myself. It was scary. I teared my own skin, just to prove that I was still in control. They were quite shocked. They let me go without further ado."

"Fuckers", muttered Tao.

M-21 smiled bitterly. "I think they were just trying to get their friend back. It's ironic, really. They are in the same position as we are with Pandora. We are two sides of one coin. There can be only one soul in a body. I don't want to surrender, yet I feel like Alan is becoming a part of me that I cannot ignore. And as long as the mutations continue, there is no telling where this will end."

"There will be a way to preserve your self", said Frankenstein. His eyes sparkled. "This is the kind of scientific challenge I've missed so much."

* * *

**Note: **Here the French translations:

_C'est tu qui es le monstre! - _You are the monster!

_Salope!_ - Witch!

_Je m'excuse - _I apologize/Excuse me

_place pour dormir - _sleeping place

_Bien sûr - _Of course

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews are always appreciated!


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse nor its characters.

**Author's note: **Nothing to tell today, so let's just enjoy the fresh chapter.**  
**

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**Chapter 19: Past and future**

The doorbell rang and everyone tensed until they discovered that it was only Doctor Kim. His face was a mix of excitement and guilt.

"I found something", he said and pulled out a small leather-bound book. "It seems like this is Hyun Ae's diary. It might give us some important clues about her past, yet...", he hesitated and pushed at his glasses. "I have scruples reading it. This is a severe violation of her privacy."

"If this helps her, we'll do it", said M-21 with an even voice, yet his gaze traveled over to Rai as if asking for his consent.

"I won't have anything to do with this", stated Regis and stood up. "This is against etiquette."

"I agree", said Seira.

"I will do as master wishes", announced Frankenstein.

All heads turned to Rai. He observed Bae for a long moment. Then he held out a hand. Bae appeared confused at first, but then hastily offered him the small book. The Noble took it and flipped through the pages.

"I you wish so, I shall make you forget the secrets within", said Rai. With those words, he closed it and handed it back to Bae.

Frankenstein nodded slowly. "Let us sample the contents before we put them to use on Doctor Choi", he said to Bae.

The doctor nodded and sat down. He flipped through the pages and found that while first every day's events had been recorded, the gap between the entries grew wider until at last she had only documented the most remarkable events.

"The first section says", Bae read aloud,

"_August 14th, 1996. Father bought me this diary for my birthday. It looks plain, but coming from him, it is something very precious to me. I will write in it every day."_

He stopped and looked up to see everyone watching him eagerly. Seira stood up gracefully and announced that she would prepare tea.

"That would be most welcome", smiled Frankenstein. "Please do continue, Doctor Kim."

"_August 15th, 1996. School was horrible as ever. Yoon Han's gang has been harassing me again. They just never grow tired of it. Since there's nothing else I can do, I'll at least not give them the satisfaction to see my grades drop. One day they'll wake to discover that studying would've been a better use of their time."_

"Sounds quite sensible for a school girl to me", remarked Tao.

"Might be that she was harassed because of that", said Bae while turning a few pages. "It seems that she came home with quite high grades in nearly all subjects, though she was hopeless in language classes. It goes on in the same style for quite some time. Ah, since she graduated the entries grow less.

_December 8th, 1998. I regret having too little time to write every day. I will try to put down at least everything that I consider worth mentioning."_

Bae broke off when Seira reentered with a tray of fresh tea. For a few moments there was only the clatter of porcelain and stirring spoons.

After having drained one cup and refilled it again, Bae continued where he had left off.

"The next entrance is a few months later.

_May 24__th__, 1999. Been accepted into Suwon University as a medical student. What do I do if I don't manage to make friends?_ Hah, she didn't know that she'd meet me!", exclaimed Bae and grinned. His face changed when he read on. "Oh, this was before we even met.

_September 2__nd__, 1999. Father suffered a cardiac infarction and died._ The next lines are blurred as if she had cried writing it. It says something like: _I don't think I can use this anymore."_

"She was barely an adult when her father died", said Takeo with a low voice.

"Must have been hard", added Tao.

They had spoken out what the others had probably been thinking, too. A long moment of uncomfortable silence followed.

"Please continue", Rai finally said.

Bae nodded and turned a leaf.

"_November 14__th__, 1999. I met a nice guy in the seminar today. Name's Bae Kim. He says he wanted to study biology, but his parents were against it. Lucky him, still having both of them."_ Bae paused again and pushed his glasses up his nose.

_June3rd, 2000. Been the first time on a ward, looking at patients. This is awesome! To be able to help all those people, I really want that some day."_

"A true doctor at heart", smiled Frankenstein. "That's just like her."

"Then there aren't much entries left. One is from the summer in 2005 when we graduated. Then when she got her job at the hospital. Ah, this one's interesting.

_August 15__th__, 2005. The new colleague, Edward Turgo, earned his doctorate with genetics, too. In fact he says that he wants to specialize in genetics. He's quite an interesting man._ The next one is already after he disappeared.

_September 7__th__, 2006. Eddie called me on my mobile today. It seems like he's gotten himself into something dangerous. I want to call the police, but I just don't know what to tell them. The whole story seems too bizarre. Some mystery organization that experiments on people? They'll think I'm nuts. What am I to do? _

_May 29__th__, 2007. I can't stay at the hospital anymore. I just can't work without thinking about Eddie and how I abandoned him. I quit the job today and will try to find something different. I just want to forget about the past that cannot be changed. _

_July 9__th__, 2007. I got accepted by Ye Ran High School as a school doctor. I heard only good things of the institution, so I hope I will be alright."_

"I think we've heard enough", said Regis suddenly. "And I doubt that this will really help making her remember."

"Aw, don't be such a gloom-monger!", scolded Tao and smirked at his scowl. "We won't know if we don't try, will we?"

"Well said...the black-haired guy", agreed Bae. "Let me at least read the last few entries.

_October 6__th__, 2010. There's a new guard. Seems like Principal Lee employed him after all those __incidents in town to ensure the students' safety, considerable as he is. But this man...I'm even embarrassed to write this, but hell, he's gorgeous! Though he was incredibly rude when I wanted to examine his injured hand this morning."_

All eyes turned to M-21, whose cheeks were turning a dark crimson. Embarrassed, he hastily took a gulp of tea, choked and had a violent coughing fit.

"Before you get so worked up", smiled Bae, "there's more.

_October 7th, 2010. I simply cannot write down what happened today, since my head's still spinning. After all those years I finally got a clue on Eddie! _

_October 10th, 2010. I can't believe it! How is this even possible? If this organization has the means to achieve unstable mutations that still result in a stable clinical condition, just how much potential are they withholding from society? This would have so much possibilities to use for the sake of patients, yet they waste it on power? _

_October 11th, 2010. So M-21 is some kind of werewolf? A few weeks ago, I wouldn't have thought this possible. He's such an incredible person. My heart still pounds like mad when I think of that kiss..."_

"Kiss?", asked Tao curiously.

"Well...I...we...", mumbled M-21 and stared into his cup as if it held all the secrets of the world. He looked almost feverish now.

"_But why did he push me away? And that look. It seems like he hates me. _

_October 12th, 2010. I let Bae in on everything. I trust him. Yet I lost all faith in M-21. What Principal Lee told me is just too horrible. And he even went back to the organization! What a fool I was. I thought...did I think at all? Love is blind, I guess. _

_October 17th, 2010. He's alive! And he protected the kids and me with his life. I have judged him too rashly. Thank god everyone's save. I'm so happy I could cry. _

_October 19th, 2010. This might be the very last entry. It's a shame that I haven't even filled two thirds of this book. Maybe I'll live to continue writing in it. But somehow, I have a bad feeling about this. Well, it can't be helped, I decided and I will go through with my decision. Farewell, dear diary, farewell M-21, for not being able to see you again will hurt the most."_

The moment Bae finished and closed the book, M-21 had already stood up and hastily left the room. Still they heard a strangled sound before he was out of hearing range.

"This is painful to watch", said R-82. He had been sitting on the ground next to M-21 and was stroking his bearded cheeks now. Unlike the others, he could hear and smell the other man's distress. He ducked his head and whimpered softly.

"That was tactless of me", said Bae wretchedly. "I shouldn't have..." He shook his head. "I guess it was wrong to read it in the first place."

"I disagree", said Frankenstein. "Whatever we may think about them, those are Doctor Choi's precious memories. If they can help make her remember, it will have been worth it."

Frankenstein and Bae went to Padora's room to test their luck immediately. The others hung back.

R-82 shifted uncomfortably. Then he nodded to himself as if he had made up his mind about something.

"Um, all this talk about memories", he began reluctantly. "It's gotten me rather curious about my own past. Were there any records in the facility you took me from?"

The others changed uneasy looks until at last Tao answered.

"We do in fact have some information about your past. We withheld it, because it's rather unsettling."

The huge man cringed his brows in irritation. "Humph", he made. "Wouldn't that be my place to decide whether I can take it or not?"

"Sure", replied Tao. "I realize that now. Well then, it says in the organization's records that your name is William Lee, age 42 and that you've been convicted to 50 years in Yikhan prison for armed assault, rape and murder."

A heavy silence followed his words. R-82 rubbed a hand across his face.

"I've almost guessed it might be something like that", he said heavily and looked at his tattooed and scarred arms. He shook his head.

"Damn it all", he mumbled. Then a look of puzzlement passed over his features and he raised his head again.

"If you knew all that, why take me in? You could've just let me kick the bucket back there."

"Look at Pandora", said Takeo. "She's not who she was, because her memories were erased by the organization. Why should it be otherwise with you? With all the disadvantages it brings, this amnesia might also provide you with a second chance. Of course we've been keeping an eye on you ever since, but you haven't shown any sign of relapse, as far as I've noticed."

"I agree", said Tao. "No matter who you were, the experiments changed you irreparably. And in the end, shouldn't we experimental material stand together?" He grinned and winked at the bearded man.

R-82 looked around and saw Seira, Regis and Rai nod in approval. He risked a small smile himself.

"You're the most amazing lot I've ever met", he stated. "Thanks a bunch!"

While R-82 had found his real name, the two scientists had been trying to make Doctor Choi remember who she was.

Bae was patiently reading out the entries in the diary, while Frankenstein monitored her reaction and stood ready for assistance.

Finally, when Bae came to the first entry that mentioned him, a spark of recognition lit up in the woman's red eyes.

"Bae...", she mumbled. "Bae Kim! It's you, is it not?" She stared at him and took his hand. "I...somehow I remember. Please do read more!"

With renewed vigor, Bae continued reading. Now and then Pandora exclaimed that she remembered. After he had finished, she hugged her old friend.

"You're brilliant, Bae! If I work hard, I'll be able to recall more and more. Thank you, too, Principal Lee!"

Both men smiled happily at her. Frankenstein went to tell the good news while Bae stayed behind to rejoice in his again-found friend.

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**Note: **Yes, there actually is a university at Suwon, I frantically searched for a fitting city^^. How did you like the chapter? Were those entries even realistic (I wouldn't be able to tell since I never wrote a diary)? Review please!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Since I'm tired from lack of sleep, read on without further ado.

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**Chapter 20: Return**

In the deep of the night, M-21 awoke from the sound of his door opening. He sat up in bed, ready to attack. Yet a split second later, his sense of smell told him, that it was Pandora, or rather Doctor Choi now, who had crept in.

"Doctor Choi?", he said in a low voice.

"I...", she began, stopping in the middle of the room. He could make out her silhouette against the pale light that shone through the jalousies now. "I haven't seen you since I remembered."

There was the rustle of clothes and then he felt her sit down on the bed next to him. Her smell was mesmerizing and every meeting with her flashed through his mind at once.

He jumped when one cool hand slipped down his neck, but he met her lips eagerly as she bent down to kiss him.

For a moment the feeling that something was terribly wrong whipped through his head. Then everything went black.

When M-21 opened his eyes again, his vision was filled with a wide room, tinged in green.

_Ah, one of those old nightmares again, _he thought with a silent sigh. _At least it's not those visions this time. _

He tried to move, willing himself to wake up. This horribly familiar floating sensation. Had his dreams ever been this vivid? Was that not Doctor Crombel approaching him? Was that woman in his wake not Doctor Choi? Since when had she been in these kind of dreams?

Doctor Crombel stopped in front of the big tank that held his favorite experiment. He smirked as he saw realization dawn on M-21's face.

"You did well, Pandora", he said while he adjusted some of the parameters. "Even though you brought me only him, you did well."

"I did what was due", replied the dark-haired woman indifferently. Regardless of her words, her crimson eyes watched the floating man intently.

_No doubt it's her, _thought M-21 bitterly. _That bitch betrayed me! She fooled us all, even Rai. How could I have been so stupid? Now I've landed myself in this mess again and I'll be damned if Crombel lets me out of here alive, this time! Damn you! Damn it all! I didn't even manage to find the slightest clue to our names. I..._

His thoughts grew sluggish and it became hard to concentrate on anything. M-21 felt himself slowly lose consciousness again. He gave in and let himself be swallowed by merciful oblivion.

Pandora was pleased with herself. She would not forget Doctor Crombel's excited expression when she had appeared in his office with the beast, tightly bound and unconscious.

The last few days he had been in an excellent mood, strutting through the laboratory, stroking his beard while he read the fresh data. The other scientists were swept along by him and during working hours, the facility was bustling with activity.

In the death of the night, there was only the humming sound of the machines and the green glow of the tanks bathed the rooms in its eerie light.

Pandora was pleased with herself. Yet, every night she found herself standing in front of one of the tanks, gazing up to the floating body within, her hand hovering inches above the glass, torn between the wish to touch it and the knowledge that this would not escape notice.

"You seem tired lately, Pandora", said Doctor Crombel one morning.

_Does he know?, _she thought panicked. But the friendly and slightly worried expression on her superior's face betrayed no ulterior motive.

"It's just boredom, I guess", she replied evenly.

At that, Doctor Crombel smiled.

It was a few days later that Doctor Crombel had invited her to dinner in his rooms. They passed the time with highly scientific themes and were working their way through the dessert, when the gray-haired man threw her a strange look through his glasses.

"You know, Pandora", he said offhandedly. "I think I can relieve your boredom."

Pandora sat up expectantly. "Do tell, Doctor Crombel", she said.

"We will be testing a new substance in this facility. As the past has shown, we might need something effective against our own experiments. I have developed a substance that should target their DNA specifically. It is a modified intercalating drug similar to a chemotherapeutic that attacks fast dividing cells. I want you to lead the tests. Are you interested?"

"Sounds fascinating", replied Pandora and licked her spoon.

Doctor Crombel leaned back in his chair and brought his hands together.

"Wonderful", he said. "Then you will start tomorrow with the first subject. M-21."

"M-21?", repeated Pandora disbelieving. "Why would you want to dispose of him?"

Doctor Crombel smiled and the glint in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. "He has been most enlightening. But I have conducted every test imaginable. Since he has betrayed the union, he was to be executed sooner or later. I prefer his death to be at least of some use. But what is that face? I would have thought you'd be overjoyed to kill him off already. Or have you changed your opinion?"

"No way!", exclaimed Pandora indignantly. "I'll be more than happy to dispose of scum like him. I was merely wondering whether you were robbing yourself on more insight regarding his case."

Pandora stood in front of the drug injection control. Her gaze swept over the ECG and heart rate, all was well. She checked the newest blood test results, they were all within normal parameters. She looked at the body floating in the green liquid. M-21's slender limbs hung motionless. A few bubbles rose from the oxygen mask from time to time. His gray hair flowed about his head like a halo of flames.

She lowered her eyes to the controls again. Her finger hovered over the right button.

"Will you really do that, Hyun Ae?", said a voice in her back.

Pandora lowered her hand and turned half around.

"Brown?", she asked irritated. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's not Brown", said the blond man and all of a sudden his arrogance was replaced by warm affection. "It's Turgo. Edward Turgo."

Pandora's eyes widened for a moment. Then she narrowed them again. She opened her mouth to snap at him, but he silenced her with a gesture of his hand.

He stepped closer and began to talk in a low and urgent voice.

"Yes, Hyun Ae, it's me, Eddie. After the organization listened in on my phone call five years ago, I knew that I had to disappear quickly. I fled and sought out an old friend who is doing plastic surgery. I convinced him that only a new face could save my life. I took on the identity of John Brown, an immigrant doctor from England. I began speaking in the accent I had worked hard to lose before, changed my personality to a cold and calculating career maniac and I was safe. Yet I couldn't forget about the organization. I spent only a few months in freedom until I applied again to them, thinking that I could do more from within. Already I had been able to prevent the worst from happening. I terminated experiments that would have resulted in hideous, dysfunctional beings that would have been in unbearable pain for the whole of their short lives. I messed with the concentration of the memory altering drug that was administered whenever I could. That is why I know you should be able to remember, Hyun Ae. You would remember, but in fact you _wanted_ to forget. Am I right?"

He stared at her intently. Without waiting for an answer, he continued hurriedly.

"You feel guilty, Hyun Ae, do you not? Well, we all do. I've done many more abominable things than you. So you created a wolf-human hybrid? He's well, is he not? Hell, Hyun Ae, you're a doctor! It's our job to make hard decisions. Sometimes we have to discover afterward that they were wrong. It's hard to bear, I know. But we have to bear it. We have to acknowledge our decisions and shoulder the consequences. What good are you doing by hiding in amnesia? Why are you running away from your decisions? You have to be strong. If not for your sake then for others'. The person you are now helps nobody. You must regain the fighting spirit I loved so much, Hyun Ae. Now, it's your decision. Will you kill this man or not?"

Pandora stood motionless for a moment. Eddie gazed into the eyes of his former friend and had to discover that he could not read her at all. Finally, she blinked, smiled a very cruel little smile and pressed the button.

Eddie's eyes widened in horror and reflexively, he stretched out an arm to stop her, but it was already too late. The drug had been administered. She had killed him.

His shoulders sagged. He felt like a fool. He had revealed himself to her in the hope of forcing Hyun Ae to wake up. Now he was faced with a loyal member of the Organization.

He swallowed hard. Doubtlessly, she would execute him for treason any moment.

In the back of Edward Turgo's mind, he registered that something was amiss. His eyes shot over to the life monitoring. Now he knew: there was nothing wrong with it. The displayed parameters were all perfectly normal.

He would have expected M-21's body to react quickly due to his enormous cell division rate. Yet nothing happened.

Pandora threw an emotionless glance at the displays. She accessed a broad amount of other data. Then she lifted a brow.

"Interesting", she stated coldly. "He seems to be immune to the substance. I shall immediately report that to Doctor Crombel."

Eddie stood rooted to the spot. _She killed neither M-21 nor me, _he thought. _But was that a coincidence? I have to make sure..._

He turned around to the control panel and carefully pressed a set of buttons to open the container that held the new drug. After stripping on gloves, he took it out, rummaged around in his lab coat's bags for a stray test tube and carefully transferred some of the remaining liquid. He diligently stoppered the test tube and placed the container in the system again.

As he walked away in direction of the analysis center, he threw a quick glance at the security cameras. By habit, he had stood with his back to them, obscuring his actions. He silently thanked his paranoia.

It took Eddie all his willpower to suppress a relieved laugh, when he viewed the test results. The container had been filled with a standard infusion solution composed of minerals and water.

_So she didn't need waking up, after all, _he thought. _Though I do hope that she covered up her tracks in case Crombel wants to see for himself._

He busied himself for a few hours with his own projects, until he risked returning to the small extra room in which M-21's tank stood.

As expected, he found Hyun Ae standing in front of it, taking notes.

"Hello there", he greeted her and came to a halt beside her.

"Won't that arouse suspicion?", she asked without moving her mouth.

"What? Me talking to you? I've been assigned as a scientist working under you, since I've been part of the team that designed M-21 in the first place."

"Regardless we should reduce interaction to a minimum", said Hyun Ae. "I will contact the people that saved me from research center Rho. I will tell them to come tomorrow, 11 PM. Though most of the scientists should not be here by this time, I need you to make sure that the rest is safe without blowing your cover. I will procure a distraction for Doctor Crombel."

"Will you be all right?", asked Eddie, a hint of concern in his voice. "The moment he finds out, he might kill you."

Hyun Ae smirked. "You forget who I have become. I will be save, take care of yourself, Eddie. And thank you for trying to jolt me from my folly."

"That's what friends are for", he replied evenly, but she could hear the warm affection under his indifferent tone. "Tomorrow, 11 PM. Good luck."

With that, he took the clipboard she offered him and made his way to one of the computers to transfer the data. He did not look back, but he felt her presence in his back.

He was happy that she had been able to overcome the alterations to her mind by herself, though something in her behavior made him wonder whether she would have done it had the subject been anyone other than M-21.

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**Note: **I guess I could have split this chapter for dramatic tension, but it would have left me with two too short ones and I guess you're happy it's no cliffhanger? Review!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the wait, it's been a busy weekend. Enjoy the new chapter!

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**Chapter 21: Redemption**

"Impossible!", mumbled Tao while he stared at the monitor. His fingers flew over the keyboard and his eyes scanned the writing appearing on the screen. He shook his head. Then he shouted into his earphone.

"Takeo, Principal Lee! You've got to see this! Come quickly!"

Takeo entered the small computer office after a few minutes and Frankenstein arrived some time later, an expression of worry on his face.

"What's going on?", he demanded.

"Look at this", said Tao and made way to look at the computer. On the screen was a single sentence displayed: _Be at 5 Gyo-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon 11 PM, today. Take M-21._

"Is that?...", began Takeo.

Tao nodded. "Yes, it's the very same code we worked out with Doctor Choi. I found it while trying to hack into the organization's net to find some helpful information. No doubt it's from her."

"If she sent us this deliberately", said Frankenstein. "There is a high chance that this might be a trap. Still, we cannot let this opportunity slip by. If there is even the slightest chance that the information is true, we'll have to act upon it."

"We'll go", said Takeo with determination. "We can't run out on him now, at least _I_ won't."

"Me neither", added Tao.

Frankenstein nodded gravely. "I'll come with you. Perhaps R-82 will be willing to accompany us. I wouldn't like to take master or Regis and Seira in case this is really a trap."

He turned to go with a thoughtful expression, but stopped at the door and gave the two a smile. "No need to slack off, though", he said.

The two men jumped and hurriedly went to resume their abandoned work.

The four of them had no clue what awaited them when they parked Frankenstein's car some way down the street and approached the glass and steel skyscraper that was 5 Gyo-dong, Paldal-gu.

Takeo tightened his grip on the gun in his pocket and Tao looked around nervously as they entered the escalator. Since their last raid, the organization had tightened computer security, so an attempt to manipulate the whole security system wouldn't have gone unnoticed.

They braced themselves for immediate attack when the steel doors slid open. Instead, they were presented with an odd scenery. The whole corridor was filled with the limp bodies of men in battle armor and carrying heavy guns.

Takeo gasped. "Are they...?"

Frankenstein had hurried over to the nearest body and checked for life signs. He shook his head.

"They are merely unconscious", he replied. Straightening up, he quirked his lips in a minuscule smile. "I think we can take that as a good sign. But we shouldn't let our guard down, regardless."

The same time, thirty floors higher, Hyun Ae was conversing with Doctor Crombel.

"Well, my theory is", she said and put her wine glass down on the mantlepiece, "the resistance is based on enhanced drug transporters, discharging the substance before it can do any damage. It might be combined with a higher rate of biotransformation, deactivating the active ingredient rapidly, thus decreasing its concentration."

"Still", argued Doctor Crombel, swirling the red wine in his glass which had, by coincidence or not, exactly the same color as the eyes of the woman before him, "that doesn't explain the total lack of response of the test subject. At least a minimal reaction should be recorded. A slight damage to the hair or mucosa was what I was expecting. That there should be no effect at all seems a bit dubious."

Hyun Ae held his gaze with a steady stare of her own. She knew that he would find her out eventually, but while he was still in doubt, she could stall for more time.

She frowned thoughtfully and took a sip of wine.

"I don't think it's too strange", she said. "After all, there are many diseases that can be manifest without the slightest clinical symptoms."

"True", gave Crombel back. "But mostly they are only unapparent, because the subjects themselves don't notice any changes. With our monitoring and diagnostic systems, we should be able to detect even subclinical changes."

Hyun Ae pondered this for a moment, then she smirked. "This would be under the assumption that our systems are indeed sensitive enough for detecting those changes."

"Touché", replied Crombel with a smile. _Fabulous!, _he thought. _I have to thank Brown for convincing me to give her a reduced dose. If she had not retained her scientific mind it would have been quite a loss._

"And now that you mention it", he continued. "It has been some time since the last accuracy check. I'll have it done right now. Most of the researchers should be finished for the day, anyway."

He walked over to his desk and made to sit down.

_Damn!, _thought Hyun Ae and threw a glance at the clock. _23:30. Is that enough time for them?_

Crombel's eyes grew wide and he paled visibly.

"What's going on on the second basement floor?", he mumbled tonelessly. He switched cameras and then he was on his feet, his face a mask of pure fury.

"HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME!", he roared and a wave of deadly energy shot at Hyun Ae.

With a fast twirl, she evaded the main blast and only a deep gash in her left shoulder remained. Behind her, glass shattered.

She made no effort to fight with the madman in front of her, but launched herself backwards through the broken window in one graceful jump.

Crombel, who was there an instant too late, saw her soar away through the city night, wings of darkness spreading from her shoulders.

"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS, BITCH! YOU'LL WHIMPER FOR MERCY!", he shouted after her, his voice cracking in his anger.

Hyun Ae's heart pounded like mad when she came to a halt in front of the familiar house of Principal Lee. Her hand shook as she pressed the doorbell.

"Who is there?", came the distorted voice of the Principal through the intercom.

_They made it back!, _Hyun Ae thought with relief. Her teeth unclenched and now she felt her formerly broken jaw throb painfully.

"It's me, Doctor Choi", she replied and held her breath. The door opened.

Frankenstein's face as he let her in was unreadable. From the table, she felt everyone's stares on her.

"M-21...", she began.

"Is sleeping", Frankenstein interrupted her. "He's in stable condition. Explain yourself."

He did not offer her a seat nor would Hyun Ae have wanted to sit down amidst the accusing faces. Haltingly, she began to recount what had happened in the research center. She explained about Eddie and asked them what had happened to the scientists. She was satisfied to hear that they were unhurt. Eventually she told them of her discussion with Crombel that had ended in her flight.

Frankenstein's face was still blank, though Hyun Ae thought that his expression had softened slightly.

"I...", she began but broke off and took a jittery breath. She swayed.

Frankenstein took her shoulders to steady her. "You should sleep as well", he said and now there was unmistakably a hint of warmth in his voice. "Take her to her old room please, R-82."

After ten hours of healthy sleep, Hyun Ae was lounging against the kitchen counter, nursing a cup of black coffee. She was skimming through her memories of the past days and pondered Eddie's words about taking responsibility for her decisions.

Suddenly, the door opened and M-21 entered the room. He froze immediately when he saw her.

Hyun Ae opened her mouth to say something, but his heated glare shut her up.

"You!", he spat with disgust. "How could you let the one person escape who might have answers for me and is not Doctor Crombel?"

Hyun Ae gaped at him. That she had not expected. In the hurry to get him out of the facility alive, she had not even thought about the fact that Eddie had participated in his row of experiments. She was too surprised to reply.

It seemed to her that he wanted to say more, but he turned around and stormed out instead.

Hyun Ae stared into her cup. She felt nauseous all of a sudden. What should she have replied? Was there even a right answer to his question?

She emptied the cup in the sink and made to follow M-21 out when Takeo's voice held her up.

"This isn't the real reason he's mad, you know", he said and pushed himself off the wall next to the door where he had leaned. "It's because he can no longer trust you. None of us can."

The weight of those words hit Hyun Ae like a block of lead. _You have to bear the consequences, _she thought. She straightened her back and went to search for the Principal.

"Ah, I was just looking for you, Doctor Choi", said Frankenstein when he caught sight of her. "Are you better now?"

"Thank you for asking", replied Hyun Ae and gave a small bow. "I'm fine."

"That's good to hear", said the blonde and smiled. "I wanted to ask whether you would take your old job at the school back. The children are missing you dearly and I just haven't found an adequate substitute."

Hyun Ae was dumbfounded. Just a moment ago, Takeo had told her that everyone had lost faith in her completely and now the Principal wanted her to work for him again?

"I would like to try", she answered reluctantly. "If you really want to employ me again, I will be at Ye Ran at the usual time tomorrow. Thank you very much for taking care of me the last months, Principal Lee. You have been most generous."

"It was my pleasure to help, Doctor Choi", said Frankenstein politely. "Then we shall meet tomorrow at the school. Come by my office some time around noon, if you please."

"I will", replied Hyun Ae and inclined her head. Without so much as meeting another eye, she hurriedly left the house.

Hyun Ae stood at the the ward's window and stared outside without really seeing anything. She felt unbearably tired and hollow as if a part of her had been cut away.

She did not know what she would have done without Bae, who had been visiting her every night, sitting with her, reminiscing about their time at the university and keeping her on track about what was going on in the world.

She missed Eddie more than ever. Even though he had been able to escape any suspicion until now, she worried that he would catch Crombel's attention soon.

She felt utterly powerless herself, unable to do anything against the organization, having endangered the others without truly gaining valuable information.

And worming its way into all of her thoughts, she constantly remembered M-21's appalled expression and every time it came into her mind it hurt just as much as before.

She also knew that not even Principal Lee was really trusting her. That one of the guards was always keeping watch on her had not escaped her notice.

Hyun Ae sighed. She turned away from the window and forced herself not to rub her eyes. The brown contact lenses itched and hurt.

_It is a comfort, _she thought when a girl came in and greeted her politely, _that at least the children still treat me the same. The Principal might not know just how big a favor he has done me with employing me here again._

She treated every student that sought her out with patience and care. Each one received a thankful smile for occupying her mind for a moment and keeping her thoughts from wandering. The time when she was able to work was filled with happiness. During those moments, she could almost forget what had happened and she was eternally grateful that her own prophecy had not been fulfilled. She was still able to work as a doctor. In fact, working as a doctor might be the only thing she was still able to do.

One day when she was walking across the court during her break, Hyun Ae saw a broad-backed figure shoveling snow. She was surprised that it was not Mister Chang, the caretaker, who had always been the one in charge of such tasks.

She curiously approached the man and soon recognized that it was none other than her own experiment, R-82. A jolt of pain shot through her chest.

_What I have done to him, how shall I ever atone for it?, _she asked herself. _He must hate me as much as I hate myself._

Hyun Ae quickly changed her path to avoid meeting him, but he suddenly stopped and put the shovel down.

"Doctor Choi?", he asked and turned around. It was a cold day and frost had gathered in his black beard. His breath formed a small white cloud in front of his face. His hands holding the shovel stuck in thick gloves.

"Yes?", said Hyun Ae, not knowing what kind of face to make.

R-82 grinned at her, throwing her completely off guard.

"Principal Lee gave me a job as a caretaker, since the old one's retiring. Ain't that great?"

"T-that's really nice", stuttered Hyun Ae. She bit her lip and came a few steps closer. "Don't you hate me?", she said softly.

"I? Hate you?", asked R-82 and let out a barking laugh. "Without you I'd be dead, that's what I know. And without the organization, I'd be in prison for the rest of my life. You gave me a second chance and you can be cocksure that I'll grab it by the neck and use it."

"I...", began Hyun Ae, but she did not really know what to say.

"You smell miserable, doctor", said R-82. "You shouldn't get too worked up about things. And don't worry about that rascal." He pointed over his shoulder to M-21 who was patrolling the grounds in the distance. "Never once thanked you for saving his ass, the ingrate, did he? He's chanced a lot recently, anyway. Been staying over with these werewolves the whole time and comes back having the blond one's smell all over him. Well, you get the point, I guess."

Hyun Ae tried hard to keep her composure. _So he is with Cassia? _From the depth of her mind, where she had locked away Pandora, a wave of hatred flowed through her. Her eyes burned more than before.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, R-82", she said with a sad smile.

"It's Jin-Sang now", said the man with a broad smile. "And no need to thank me, you looked like you needed some spirit. Have a nice day!"

"You, too", replied Hyun Ae and walked away in direction of the ward. She felt relieved that Jin-Sang did not resent her, but the news about M-21 pained her more than she wanted to admit to herself.

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**Note: **So now M-21's finally back and Doctor Choi is shunned. Guess she earned it, huh? Any thoughts, ideas, criticism? Review!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **We've reached the middle of the story though the end is nowhere in sight yet. I want to thank all readers and especially those who reviewed for staying with me until now. I hope my story will continue to entrance you. Enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 22: Sepsis**

_Sepsis or blood poisoning describes an infection that has spread over the whole body. Bacteria are circulating in the blood, the patient develops a high fever and organs start malfunctioning until the whole organism breaks down. The key to survival is a fast diagnosis and immediate treatment. If the suspicion arises that the patient might be developing a sepsis, blood cultures are to be taken and then a broad acting combination of antibiotics is applied intravenously immediately. The patient must be monitored closely and if need be, substituting measures like artificial respiration and dialysis should be used. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and should be treated very seriously._

Hyun Ae had barely slept through the night. She had thrown herself from one side to the other, trying to block out the pictures of M-21 which swam up in her mind.

It was a most unfitting moment to recall the morning Pandora had chased him out of the shower.

In sharp detail she remembered every look the blond woman had thrown at him. The way she had boldly placed her hand on his thigh.

And then, unbidden, other memories came forth, from times long ago when she had watched the hated beasts. Leila Priscilla d'Opacus had known and now Hyun Ae Choi knew that Cassia and Alan of the Coreanus Tribe had been lovers.

She cried and felt ashamed for caring about something that should be nothing to her.

She awoke with a start. A look at her alarm-clock told her that she had overslept and would be late no matter how much she hurried.

Hyun Ae walked so fast that she began to feel uncomfortably warm, although it was freezing outside. Her hot breath came in puffs of white and her shoes slipped on the tightly packed snow on the sidewalk.

She would still be in time for work, but she had always been coming half an hour earlier to avoid running into the others.

She hurried through the school gate and made for the safety of her ward. But in front of the building stood a small group of students.

"Hey, Doctor Choi!", cried Shinwoo and grinned at her.

"Good morning, Doctor Choi", said Yuuna and Suyi in one voice.

"Nice to see you", added Ikhan.

"Nice to see you all, too", replied Hyun Ae with a smile. "I'm late today. I overslept."

"So adults do that too!", said Shinwoo.

"You look exhausted, Doctor Choi", said Yuuna concerned. "Are you going to be ill?"

"You should take a few days off, if you aren't well", advised Suyi. "Shouldn't a doctor know that best?"

"It's just lack of sleep", said Hyun Ae with a forced smile. She froze when she heard crunching footsteps on the snow behind them. She knew who it was even before the childrens' faces lit up and they greeted him.

M-21 was walking towards them. He wore a thick dark gray winter coat and a big dog ambled through the snow next to him. When they were near enough to recognize her, it started to growl.

Cassia let out a sharp bark and charged at her. Hyun Ae stood motionless. She knew that it would be easy to avoid the wolf, but there would be no guarantee that it might not injure the children accidentally. She could also strike Cassia down and her hands itched to hurt the werewolf. But she would not attack. A doctor did not hurt deliberately. She had made a decision and she would bear the consequences.

M-21 stayed where he was, hands in the pockets of his coat. He did not move to stop Cassia. An attack of this caliber would never be able to hit Pandora.

Thus he was shocked to see that the dark-haired woman did not move an inch as the giant wolf jumped at her and sank its teeth into her throat.

Shinwoo immediately ran to help Hyun Ae, while the girls screamed in fear for her life.

Before the red-haired boy could lay a hand on the wolf, M-21 was already over her and with a quick movement, he forced Cassia's jaw open. He flung her away in anger. Then he took Doctor Choi in his arms and sprinted away in direction of the Principal's office.

The whole thing had taken just a few seconds and the children still stood in shock. Where Doctor Choi had fallen, the snow was soaked in blood.

The wolf struggled to its feet.

"Stay back, all of you!", ordered Shinwoo and pushed the girls behind him. "It seems like it really had rabies, Ikhan", he said to his friend.

They slowly inched backwards to the school building. The wolf had picked itself up by now and was observing them with its yellow eyes. Blood dripped from its snout.

"If it comes at us, you run to the building, got that?", said Shinwoo in a low voice.

While he was speaking, the wolf raised its head and caught a scent. It turned around and trotted away in the opposite direction.

They all took a breath of relief.

"What happened?", asked Bae while Jin-Sang ushered him in. He gasped when he saw Hyun Ae. She was as pale as the sheets on which she lay. Her neck was covered in thick bandages, but blood was already seeping through.

"She's septic", said Frankenstein who stood beside the bed, administering drugs and checking her vital functions. "Her organs are failing."

"How can that be?", said Bae disbelievingly. He took one pale hand in his and was shocked to find that it was cold and sweaty. "Didn't you say she had an extremely high recovery rate due to the experiment?"

"Werewolves' bites are poisonous", replied Frankenstein. "Can you do me a favor and try to isolate the poison from her blood? You can use my lab in the basement."

He handed Doctor Kim three test tubes filled with blood. The man nodded hastily and left the room.

M-21 sat at the bed, still in his bloody cloak, face buried in his hands. Jin-Sang stood beside him, one big hand on his shoulder.

The doorbell rang.

"If it's the children, send them away and tell them we've taken Doctor Choi to a hospital", Frankenstein instructed Jin-Sang. The bearded man nodded and went to the door.

After a moment, voices grew loud in the living room.

"Like hell I'd let them in!", shouted Takeo.

There was some mumbling, a shuffle of feet and then Seira's voice, louder than usual.

"I advise against it, Raizel-nim."

Then Henri de Coreanus burst into the room. On his face was a look of alarm and urgency.

"_C'est la victime?_", he asked between heavy breaths. "Please let me through."

"Since master let you in", said Frankenstein and stepped aside.

The dark-haired man came to stand next to Hyun Ae's head. He felt her forehead and raised her lids to look into her eyes.

"Still in time, _dieu merci_!", he mumbled while he rolled up his left sleeve.

Without warning, he growled, transformed his hands into claws and ripped into his own skin. A thin trickle of blood splattered Hyun Ae's face.

"What are you doing?", demanded Frankenstein alarmed.

Henri pressed his arm to force out more blood and let it drip onto the woman's half-opened lips.

"Did you, _l'omniscient_ Frankenstein Lee, not know that a werewolf's bite can only be healed by werewolf's blood?", he said through clenched teeth.

At that, M-21's head whipped up.

"What did you say?", he said, his voice rough.

The werewolf closed Hyun Ae's mouth to force her to swallow. Then he rolled his sleeve back down.

"Half an hour later and it might have already been too late", he said. "Why didn't you help? Alan would have known."

"But I'm not Alan", murmured M-21. "Although I pretended to be. That's the result of it."

"I, too have been _négligent_. I should have brought Cassia to her senses long ago. But _pour un bref moment_, it was like Alan was with us again. Forgive a nostalgic old man his folly. She will recover after some days. I should go now and punish Cassia. _Au revoir_!"

He turned to go, but M-21 held him back by his sleeve.

"Thank you", he said. "For doing what would I should have done. I owe you."

"___Tu me ne devois rien_", replied Henri. "It was my duty as a member of the tribe to set right what another member did wrong. No matter who the victim is. It is pity that makes us human."

With that, he disappeared through the door.

"Pity", repeated M-21 with a bitter smile. "I heard those words before."

Hyun Ae's condition stabilized after a few days and her body slowly began to repair the damage.

M-21 sat by her bed day and night. Sometimes, Bae joined him and tried fruitlessly to engage him in conversation. The others avoided the room and went by their daily business. Only Frankenstein came regularly to check on Doctor Choi and persisted that M-21 should at least eat.

The gray-haired man obligingly swallowed the food that was brought without really tasting it or caring what it was.

_You must be really mad, _he thought at his dead comrades. _Not only did I let another opportunity to find out our names slip, but I also blamed it solely on Doctor Choi and I almost lost myself. _

_If I think about it know, I realize that Alan was probably the one who stabilized the Tribe and tried to smooth out relations with the Noblesse. It's a shame the Organization killed him off. I wonder how they captured him. _

_Still, why did Cassia hate her so much? _

He gazed into Hyun Ae's sleeping face, his elbows on the mattress, chin on his entwined hands. The color had returned into her skin and the shredded throat was already mending itself.

Listening to her deep, even breathing, he eventually fell asleep himself, head cushioned on his arms.

When Frankenstein went for his evening checkup, he found Jin-Sang sitting in front of the door. He raised one finger to his lips.

"They're both sleeping now", he said softly. "Come back tomorrow."

Hyun Ae finally awoke lying in a soft bed.

_I'm alive then?, _she thought surprised. The familiar sight of the light ceiling told her that she was at the Principal's house. _Trust him to save me again and again._

She looked around the room and found M-21, fast asleep with his head on the bed next to her right hand. His gray hair had fallen across his face and with each soft breath, the strands stirred.

Hyun Ae slowly raised her hand and brushed them away tenderly. When he moved, she hastily dropped her hand.

M-21 blinked and opened his eyes to find Doctor Choi watching him. He sat up at once.

Hyun Ae smiled at the flurry of emotions that passed over his face.

"I'm deeply sorry", he said and cast down his gaze.

"You need not be", replied Hyun Ae. "I have forgiven you long ago. It's me who should be sorry."

At that, he raised his head again. The crimson eyes that were looking at him were no longer empty. They were shining with the same warmth and compassion that had belonged to Doctor Choi.

She stretched out her arms to him and he let himself be pulled down. They kissed and this time nothing felt wrong. It was like the time on the roof and on the balcony without the bitterness of parting. If there were shadows in her heart, they were just lurking out of sight.

His head spun as he drew back and he closed his eyes for a moment to regain his composure.

"I should leave you to rest now", he said and stood up.

"Don't go", begged Hyun Ae softly. Her cheeks reddened when she asked, "Won't you hold me for a while?"

M-21 hesitated. Then he cast off his slippers and climbed into bed next to her. She moved closer to him, burying her face against his chest. She felt the regular beating of his heart and breathed his scent in deeply. She was fast asleep in no time at all.

M-21 carefully put an arm around her back. He could not stand up without waking her now. Faced with no alternative, he closed his eyes and exhaustion soon got the better of him.

The others looked up the next morning to see a very sleepy man trudging through the living room in direction of the kitchen. M-21's clothes were crinkled, he was in his socks and was raking one hand through his ruffled hair.

"Had a wild night?", smirked Tao.

Jin-Sang sniffed and shook his head. "Your thoughts are way dirtier than his actions", he remarked.

M-21 gave both of them a sharp look and went to fetch a cup of coffee. After drowning it in one gulp, he left the room, supposedly for a shower and a change of clothes.

He was presentable as ever and helping with cleaning up the table when they heard the soft patter of feet.

Hyun Ae shyly peered into the room and entered reluctantly when nobody threatened to take her head off. She was wearing the school uniform Seira had lent her and although she was still looking a bit frail, she smiled heartily.

"I apologize for the inconvenience", she said politely. "And I will be off as soon as you tell me where you put my bag."

Frankenstein looked at her in surprise and then made an apologetic face. "I'm afraid it's in still in my office. I'll fetch it for you as soon as possible."

"No need", replied Hyun Ae with a smile. "I'll fetch it myself. I've been on vacation long enough, after all."

"You need more rest, you've only just woken up", said Frankenstein strictly.

Hyun Ae brushed him off. She pulled down her collar to reveal flawless skin. "I'm fine, Principal Lee. And in case something happens to me on the way, you four have the same way, have you not?"

She threw Tao, Takeo, M-21 and Jin-Sang who were already ready to depart a questioning look.

Frankenstein sighed. "I give in", he said. "You should know best yourself, Doctor Choi. Take it slow."

"Thank you for escorting me", said Hyun Ae when they were standing in front of the school building. "See you then", she added and turned towards the door.

Before she could go, M-21 caught her shoulder. With a quick movement, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She slung her arms around his neck and leaned against the warm hand that was cupping her cheek. He growled softly as she slid her tongue into his mouth and gripped her tighter.

"Now, now", chided Takeo. "Pull yourself together. There's people watching, you know?"

After they reluctantly let go of each other and followed his pointed hand they saw that several dozens of students were huddled at the windows, staring down at them and whispering among themselves.

"You broke many a poor girl's heart today, M-21", said Tao with mocked sadness.

Hyun Ae grinned at his shocked expression, squeezed his hand and finally went inside.

* * *

**Note:**

_C'est la victime? - _Is that the victim?_  
_

_dieu merci_ - thank god

_l'omniscient - _the all-knowing

_négligent_ - neglectful

_pour un bref moment_ - for a short moment

_Au revoir_ - Goodbye (lit. Until we see each other again)

___Tu me ne devois rien_ - You owe me nothing.

I hope you liked it. Please review!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the late update, it's been a busy week. To make it up to you, here are finally some lemons. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 23: Endorphines**

_Endorphines are a special class of messenger molecules, a part of the body's intrinsic pain reducing system. They are released in times of high stress and make us feel euphoric and generally good. Encephalins and Cannabinoids are the less known parts of this system. Opiats as the exogenous variant of endorphines produce the same euphoria and analgetic effect, though they also come with nausea, obstipation and respiratory depression. It is said that excessive sport and orgasms produce high levels of endorphines._

The kiss was the talk of the day. In every corner, groups of girls were huddled together and talking in low whispers.

The discussion who the mysterious dark-haired girl had been was still going on through lunch break.

"That sly Ajussi", said Shinwoo grinning and elbowed Ikhan in the side. "Telling us he doesn't know much!"

"Yeah", Ikhan agreed.

"Do you guys know more than we?", asked Suyi curiously. "Do you know who the girl was?"

Shinwoo shrugged and swallowed around a mouthful of ramen. He ruffled his red hair and made a thoughtful expression. "I thought Ajussi was going out with Doctor Choi", he said.

"But she wore a school uniform", argued Yuuna. "I didn't see them myself, but a few girls from class B even asked if it was me." She blushed a little.

"Should we go ask Doctor Choi?", wondered Suyi. "It's her first day back. I wanted to see whether she's okay again, anyway. But no, that would be improper, wouldn't it?"

"Right", said Shinwoo. "Let's ask Ajussi instead!"

Without listening to the girls' protests, he stood up and took Ikhan with him. To everyone's surprise, Regis followed them after a moment.

Yuuna, Suyi and Seira looked at each other and smiled.

"He's just curious like us, I guess", said Yuuna.

"Yeah, boys are like that", commented Suyi.

Their gaze lingered for a moment on Rai who was still sitting, having patiently waited for his ramen noodles to become bloated and was eating slowly and with extraordinary grace.

_Except him, _the three girls added in their minds.

"Hey, Ajussi!", shouted Shinwoo.

M-21 turned around and saw the red-haired boy, his friend Ikhan and Regis coming towards him. An alarmed expression passed over his face.

The two boys grinned broadly and Regis was smirking when they had stopped in front of him.

"Is there something you want?", asked M-21.

Ikhan gestured for Shinwoo to stay silent and pushed his glasses up in a business-like manner. In the background, a small crowd of girls was trying to stay within earshot without being noticed and failed miserably.

"We were just wondering...", began Ikhan.

"Who was the girl you kissed this morning?", blurted Shinwoo, interrupting Ikhan's carefully laid inquiry.

M-21 blanched and stared at them, at a loss of what to say.

"You didn't get involved with one of the students, did you?", asked Regis, his arms crossed, with a slight threatening edge to his voice.

The gray-haired man threw him a glare then he shook his head with a smile.

"Of course not", he said. "It was Doctor Choi."

"Really?", exclaimed Ikhan.

"Congrats, man, you're lucky", Shinwoo grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Let's go tell the others!"

Before M-21 could hold him back, he was already jogging back to the school building, Ikhan only half a step behind him. M-21 sighed. Then he realized that Regis had hung back and was still standing there, regarding him with suspicion.

"Didn't you two hate the guts of each other?", he inquired.

"Not always", replied M-21. He did not look at the silver-haired boy but was gazing into the distance. A gust of wind ruffled his gray strands.

"But weren't you with the werewolf woman?", asked Regis persistently.

"Never wholly, I guess", answered M-21. With that he turned around and walked away, leaving the Noble to muse for himself.

"Sometimes I don't understand him at all", muttered Regis and made his way back to the others.

Hyun Ae started when she found M-21 lingering in front of her office when she went home for the day. A bright smile spread over her face. He couldn't help but smile back.

"I...the Principal told me to escort you home", he explained.

At that, Hyun Ae boxed him playfully in the arm. "You're a bad liar", she grinned. "I won't complain, though."

They walked in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. It had begun to snow again and the falling flakes gleamed in the streetlamps' light.

Hyun Ae risked a quick glance at M-21. His gray hair, slightly damp from the snow was clinging to his cheek, dark and slightly shining like brushed steel.

It again struck her how unapproachable he seemed and yet... he was here, walking her home, his soothing presence by her side.

M-21 forced himself not to constantly stare at her. He was thankful for the smells of the city distracting him from hers. He remembered the feel of her warm, sleeping body against his chest and he wondered for the umpteenth time today whether he should have kissed her this morning. Whether he had had the right to.

They stopped at the stairs to Hyun Ae's apartment. She rummaged in her bag for her keys. When she had finally fished them out, she gave M-21 who was already preparing to leave, a stern glance.

"You'll come up for a bit, won't you?", she said.

"Um, if you want...?", he replied hesitatingly.

"I insist", said Hyun Ae and wondering about her own resolution she took his arm and pulled him with her into the welcoming warmth of her flat.

Inside, she switched on the light, sniffed and wrinkled her nose at the stale air. She slipped out of her shoes and hurried over to the windows to throw them open. When she turned around, unbuttoning her coat, she found M-21 still standing a step from the door. His pupils looked dilated and it seemed to her as if there was a flash of amber in his eyes.

M-21 froze the moment he entered the flat. Her scent was everywhere. It was so overwhelming that he had to hold his breath and concentrate very hard not to sway. He felt dizzy and was sure that his hands would shake had he not balled them to fists in his pockets. He tried desperately to keep his calm when Doctor Choi approached him with concern on her face. His heart seemed to thump very loudly.

"Are you alright?", asked Hyun Ae. "You look pale. Come on, put away that cloak and sit down. I'll get you something to drink."

M-21 nodded silently and took off his shoes while she hung up the cloak. He took a few experimental breaths and realized that he was growing accustomed to her smell. A heavy weight fell off his shoulders. At this rate, he could manage a short time without having trouble to conceal his agitation.

Hyun Ae led him through a door on the left into a small kitchen. She pressed him down into one of the two chairs and busied herself with preparing tea.

"Is it true that Shinwoo asked you about us straight away?", she asked, her back still to him.

"Yes", he replied and couldn't help but smile. "Nosy little brats."

"Nothing travels faster than rumors", Hyun Ae sighed and set the steaming pot and two cups down on the small table. "Ah, sugar!", she said, went back to the cupboards to produce a small bowl and placed it next to the teapot.

"I'm awfully sorry I cannot offer you anything else", she said. "But I haven't had the opportunity to buy something yet."

"It's alright", M-21 hurried to say and tried not to think that this was mainly his fault.

They drank their tea in slightly awkward silence and both jumped when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Hyun Ae frowned and put down her cup.

"Who could that be?", she wondered while she made to open the door.

To her surprise, Bae was standing in front of it, a half-worried, half-happy expression on his face.

"Hyun Ae!", he exclaimed. "Mister Lee told me you have recovered and are home again. What a relief!"

Hyun Ae quickly overcame her surprise and stepped aside to let him in.

"I'm fine, Bae. Thanks for worrying about stupid old me. We were just having tea."

"We?", asked Bae and peered into the kitchen to see M-21 sitting at the table. Their gray eyes met for a second and he immediately reacted.

"Ah, don't bother with me. I just came to check you are well. There's a lot of work piled up at the lab. I'll be coming round sometime at the weekend, okay?"

Hyun Ae was a bit startled by his sudden retreat, but let him go with a smile. She returned to the kitchen to see M-21 carefully rinsing his cup in the sink.

"Now, now", she chided. "We're not at Principal Lee's. I'll take care of that later."

He dried off his hands on the towel next to the sink.

"It's getting rather late", he said then. "Thank you for the tea. I won't intrude upon you further."

It might have been only a trick of his nervous mind, but the room seemed to darken a bit. He found the door blocked by Doctor Choi who looked at him with a strange, unreadable expression on her face.

She caught him completely unawares when she suddenly flung her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Do you think I'll just let you go, now that I've finally dragged you into my lair?", she whispered in his ear.

His breath hitched when she nibbled at the tender skin just below his racing pulse. He realized that he had unconsciously wrapped his arms about her back and hip and was pulling her tightly against him.

Her fingers were gently stroking the nape of his neck while her soft lips kissed their way along his jaw.

"Why would you want this?", he whispered hoarsely. "I almost killed you."

"So did I", mumbled Hyun Ae in response. "We're even."

She looked up into his face to see his eyes flickering between lust and doubtful hesitation. The sharp lines of his face, its beauty more enhanced than marred by the thin scar across his lips made her chest constrict with a feeling that was almost painful.

"What?", she asked very softly. "Afraid to hurt me? Don't worry, since I've become more of a monster than you ever were."

The words were said playfully, but M-21 could clearly hear the bitterness behind them. He would have given everything to undo the past and take away her burden. Yet he could not.

Her closeness clouded his mind. He imagined feeling the beat of her heart, several paces faster than his own.

His resistance finally broke. His mouth hungrily searched for hers. The moment she parted her lips under his he thrust his tongue inside, overwhelmed by the desire to devour her, to burn her feel, her smell, her taste into his memory.

Still kissing fervently, she pulled him with her out of the kitchen and into another room. He had to focus very hard to unbutton her blouse instead of tearing it off. Agonizingly slowly, cool hands took off his shirt and started to undo his trousers. He let out a low groan when she brushed, accidentally or deliberately, against his rock-hard erection.

The delicious smell of her want for him made him finally lose his mind. He ripped her remaining clothes off and with a growl pushed her onto the soft bed behind her.

Hyun Ae looked up into his eyes, no more gray but golden yellow now, burning with lust. She moaned when she felt his skin against hers and put her arms around his back to pull him closer.

He bowed his head to lick at the sensitive skin just beneath her collarbone. She heard him inhale deeply and then his hot breath on her breasts made her shiver and raise her chest to meet him. A moan escaped her lips when he flicked his tongue across her nipple. Supporting himself easily on one arm, his other hand had traveled down and was drawing slow circles on the inside of her thigh.

Her velvety skin felt impossibly smooth under his hands. He had to resist the urge to sink his teeth into the soft flesh to taste her very life. She squirmed and moaned under his touch, urging him on, begging for more.

When she parted her legs for him he could no longer hold back. He slid inside her and gasped at the sensation. He had wanted to take it slow, but soon he was pounding into her hard and fast. She was meeting each thrust with one of her own, sighing, moaning, her hands ghosting over his chest and back.

M-21 shuddered. His breath came in quick, heavy pants. His hands tore into the mattress. Hyun Ae marveled at the softness of the gray fur that was sprouting on his arms, his back, the sides of his face. He looked feral, a power was emanating from him that resounded in her inner core. Shadows flickered up like black flames. Her eyes fluttered shut, his image burned against the back of her eyelids, driving her over the edge.

Just as she arched her back and cried out in highest bliss, he threw back his head and let out a long groan. He pounded into her a few more times until he finally collapsed on the bed next to her, panting heavily, his body slowly returning to normal.

"You definitely are the most amazing man I've ever met", said Hyun Ae after she had caught her breath.

She pulled the coverlet up over them and huddled close to him, her head resting on his chest. He said nothing, only slung one arm around her while his other hand played with her dark hair.

"Do you...always transform?", she asked some time later.

"I...never did...before", he answered haltingly, carefully observing her face. He was unsure how she would react to the fact that he had done it with Cassia.

She looked nothing except curious. Then a satisfied smirk appeared on her face.

"But Cassia did?"

"Yes, she...wait! How did you know? I...we..." He pushed himself up on his elbows at once, staring at her anxiously.

Hyun Ae reached up to stroke his cheek and shook her head at his horrified expression.

"Jin-Sang told me", she said. "Don't look like that. I had other men before, too, you know?"

His anxiousness subsided somewhat and he let himself sink down again, crossing his arms behind his head.

"I tried to be Alan for some time", he said, speaking to the ceiling. Hyun Ae was silent, listening to the regular pounding of his heart, feeling the rise and fall of his chest until he continued.

"I guess at first I was only trying to get away from you as far as possible. They were very friendly, understanding. I felt comfortable, a part of me was coming home. It was nice to belong somewhere for once. It was even better to have memories, to have a past to remember. It was so easy to just give in and let Alan take over. The longing for Cassia grew deeper the more I let myself go. Her familiar smell, her own desire, it all made me believe that it was not only Alan's memories, but myself who wanted her. But she always had her eyes closed. She was imagining it was really Alan who took her, not me. She wanted only him. I believe that it was different with Henri. Though he liked to reminiscence of the old times, I had the feeling that he did not see me as a reincarnation of Alan, but as a person who might eventually fill his place. He only occasionally called me Alan. I hope that I can someday manage to integrate Alan's memories as a part of me, that I need not lose myself and that those memories need not be lost. He was a good man, I think. I would hate to give up a part of me that is good."

"You don't need another man's memories to be good", whispered Hyun Ae.

"You haven't changed", he mumbled, turning around to her, gathering her into his arms and kissing her tenderly.

She did not reply, only looked at him. That look, too, had not changed. He smiled at her and exhausted, closed his eyes.

* * *

**Note: **I'm pretty unsure about this chapter. Was it alright?


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long wait, it's been a busy week. To all of those who reviewed: I cannot thank you enough. You make writing fanfiction really worthwhile.

Be aware that the following chapter is one that justifies the M rating. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.**  
**

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**Chapter 24: Dark places**

"Are you sure you want to risk it?", asked Frankenstein. He kept his face carefully void of any emotion, but a hint of worry was swinging with his words.

"I am", replied M-21 and lay back on the examination table. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing while Frankenstein fastened electrodes and other monitoring equipment. He inhaled sharply when an IV cannula was carefully placed into his forearm.

"Now applying NN2-2591 to cancel out scopalamine-induced amnesia", said Frankenstein.

M-21 awoke with a shiver. The metal of the examination table on his bare skin was freezing cold. He tried to sit up, but realized that he could not. In addition to the steel shackles that pinned his limbs and torso to the table, he felt weak and exhausted as if he was suffering from a high fever.

"Ah, the sleeping prince has awoken", said an amused voice.

"Crombel!", hissed M-21 with hate.

"Now now", chided Crombel and finally stepped into his line of vision. His lips were curled into a polite smile that might have fooled him in any other situation. Right now, it simply seemed like mockery.

"Actually", he continued and sat down in a nearby office chair. "I wanted to make a deal with you, M-21."

"Fuck off!", spat M-21.

"You should first listen to what I have to say", said Crombel calmly, regarding him with a piercing gaze over the rim of his glasses. "Doctor Turgo told me you want to know more about your past."

M-21's gray eyes widened for a second, then he regained his composure.

"Did he?", he asked in a bored tone.

"He did indeed", replied Crombel. He leaned forward in his seat, nearly touching the examination table. There was an eager gleam in his eyes as he continued.

"I would agree to refresh your memory and that of the other experiments, if you agree to do something for me."

"What would you want from me that you can't force me to do?", asked M-21 warily.

"You will know as soon as you remember the past", answered Crombel. "Now do you take my offer or not?"

"Only a fool would agree to an arrangement without knowing the costs", said M-21 evenly.

"Where there is much to risk, there is much to gain", said Crombel and stood up. "I won't make the same offer twice. Yes or no, M-21."

The young man stared up at the white ceiling and pondered those words for a moment. _What do I have to lose?, _he asked himself. _That might be our only chance._

"I agree", he heard himself say as if from far away.

Immediately, Crombel was at his side again, a wide smile on his face.

"Marvelous", he said. M-21 could see his barely suppressed urge to rub his hands. He felt like he had made a fatal mistake, but it was too late to draw back now.

After adjusting his infusions, Crombel sat down, this time on the edge of the examination table rather than on the office chair.

"Have you ever read 'The picture of Dorian Gray'?", he asked.

"What kind of question is that?", snapped M-21 angrily. "Even if I had, I wouldn't be able to remember, would I?"

"Ah well, forget it then", mumbled Crombel.

Suddenly, he stretched out his right hand and grabbed M-21's chin, turning his head forcefully this way and that.

"Such a pretty face", he said softly. "Once you knew that all too well yourself." He let go of the chin, but his fingers lingered just a little too long for comfort on the other man's skin.

"When I first met you", began Crombel and sat up straight, an expression of relaxed mirth on his features, "it was at a rich politician's party. You had black hair back then and your face was still without that scar. You were always surrounded by influential people. When I inquired after you of one of those ever well-informed ladies, I found out that you were without relatives and in search of a patron. A few hours later I eventually managed to get near enough to see that charming youth up close. All around me people were fighting for one gaze from those cool gray eyes. But high society is an expensive business. You whored out that lithe body of yours for money and power."

"What did you just say?", asked M-21, his voice shaking with fury.

"You heard right", said Crombel. "Your sly smile captivated everyone, me included. You would have done anything for power. The organization did not kidnap you. This is your payment."

"No", whispered M-21, shaking his head. But he remembered now. The heavy weight of sweating bodies on his, mumbled conversations, his own wanton moans and the money that was left in the morning, the posts that were offered, the smiles that greeted him, false as his own.

"I wanted you all for myself", said Crombel, his voice without its usual dispassion, bowing nearer to his face, his hands twitching. "Yet it was a mistake to choose you for this experiment. Your memories of our deal were erased and that damn Coreanus infused his sense of honor and companionship into you, altering your perfect personality. But we can correct all that. I'll pull you out from the experimentation line, if you agree to give that pretty smile only to me."

"Never", gasped M-21 without a moment of thought. To no avail he tried to get away from the ugly expression of greed on Crombel's face. The scary little smile did not waver.

M-21 felt hot breath on his neck as he whispered, "Let's see whether you won't choose the easier way afterward."

Crombel stood up and went over to the computer terminal. For a fleeting moment, M-21 hoped that he had thought of another way to torment him, but when the gray-haired doctor turned around, he was already loosening his tie.

"I denied myself that way too long", he said, approaching the examination table, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

M-21 clenched his teeth. He tensed all his aching muscles in a desperate attempt to break the shackles. They held firm and he fell back onto the cold metal panting for breath.

The next hours passed like a never-ending nightmare. M-21 drifted between Crombel's disgusting touches in reality to even worse memories of the past until he could no longer distinguish whose hands were gripping his thighs and whether he was moaning in lust or in pain.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally awoke from an ear-piercing scream.

M-21 sat up at once and ripped the countless cables and tubes from his body. Only after he had staggered to his feet and someone had caught his arm before he fell, he realized that he was not in the organization's lab anymore.

He stared into Frankenstein's worried face, unable to articulate any of the thoughts that were shooting through his head. He let himself be escorted to a chair and pulled on the offered shirt wordlessly. The bleeding where he had ripped out the IV cannula had already stopped.

"Shit", he finally said. "SHIT!", he screamed, jumped up and ran up the stairs, Frankenstein hot on his heels.

He pushed Jin-Sang out of the way who was walking down the corridor towards him. Then he rushed into his room and threw open the wardrobe. He searched through his belongings with shaking hands until he had found the torn suit of which only the trousers remained.

A wrinkled envelope was in one of the pockets, containing something small and heavy. He grabbed a jacket and his credit card that lay on the table before he left the room.

"What happened?", asked Jin-Sang who had waited outside the door.

M-21 simply ignored him and made his way to the living room.

"What's going on?", said Takeo confused when he entered and passed him without a word. He halted when a small but strong hand held him back by the arm.

"What is the matter with you?", snapped Regis angrily. "Everyone is worried. Explain yourself!"

"You were right about me", answered M-21, his voice hard-edged and brittle like thin ice. "I gave up being a human for the sake of power."

He said nothing more and was already at the door when Rai was suddenly standing next to him. He did not utter a single word, but M-21 realized at once that he knew what he had seen in his own past. The Noble's red eyes lingered on his face with a calm, even gaze.

"I shall not give you advice, for you must find the power to accept the past inside your own self. I shall say only this: I would not have let you live if you had no good inside you."

"Please don't tell Doctor Choi", M-21 pressed forth, looking away.

"You have my word", replied Rai.

He did not hinder the other man when he opened the door and slipped outside.

M-21 closed the door of the safe house behind him and leaned against it, breathing heavily. They would know where he was, Frankenstein had given them the key himself, yet he trusted they would not come looking for him.

He let himself slide to the floor and buried his face in his hands. He had a pounding headache.

Crombel's word's echoed through his mind with all their horrible truth.

"_You whored out that lithe body of yours for money and power. That damn Coreanus infused his sense of honor and companionship into you."_

"Is that true?", whispered M-21 to himself, his voice shaking. The silent, slightly dusty room held no answer.

As if to prove the truth of Crombel's words, another flash of memory flicked through his mind. The feel of slick fingers against his skin made him sick. But he was even more disgusted by his own sighs and whispers, begging for more.

While he tore his fingernails into his skin to make the horrible images stop, he remembered Doctor Choi's face. Her moans, her whispered words and the greed and brutality with which he had taken her.

"What have I done?", he choked. When he looked at his hands, the fingertips were stained with blood. "How have I stained her, undignified, despicable bastard that I am!"

He pushed himself up from the floor and started wandering around in the room. Small clouds of dust whirled up where his feet trod.

_Should I be happy that Alan gave me a sense of honor that I did not have originally? No, no. That would mean being happy that a better man was sacrificed to satisfy my lust for power. I was an impostor, a wolf among the sheep. While all the others had been forced to participate in the experiments, I wanted it all. I'm as bad as Jake, no, worse even, at least he was satisfied with his new powers while I fooled myself into thinking I had been a better person. How can I, the one most undeserving, be the only one of us left alive? Would you not have hated me if you had known who I was?_

"And where is he now?", inquired Hyun Ae. The smile that had graced her face moments ago had vanished completely and made way for an expression of confused worry.

"I gave my word not to tell you", said Rai evenly. "I do not plan to break it."

Hyun Ae relaxed slightly. _If Rai knows where he went he will be save, _she thought._ I trust him._

"Still, I'm worried", she said and finally sat down next to Seira. "I don't suppose you know when he'll be back?"

Everyone, Rai included, shook heads. Hyun Ae sighed. Then her eyes widened with horror.

"It's not about me, is it? Please say no! I... I mean, oh no, I can't tell you", she stuttered and blushed furiously.

"I don't think so, Doctor Choi", said Frankenstein friendly. "Tea?"

Hyun Ae nodded and tried to calm down. She tried to ignore it, but she could not shake off the impression that the others were as anxious and nervous as her.

In the following long silence, only a stifled cough was heard.

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**Note: **So what do you say to M-21's past? Also, there is some minor detail in this chapter that will become important later. You are free to guess! As always, please review!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **I'm freezing here with temperatures below 20° celsius. I hope wherever you are, it's warmer. Enjoy the new chapter!**  
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**Chapter 25: Heart's voice**

Days passed slowly like the waning of the moon. Then it had been more than a week and there was still no word, no news from M-21.

Hyun Ae walked across the school yard, deserted so early in the morning. The sun was not up yet, but the sky was already lighter in the east, the thin sickle of the moon low at the horizon.

Occasionally, she would slip on a piece of frozen snow, thus her pace was not as brisk as usual.

Someone coughed, dry and short. It rang loudly in the chilly morning air.

Hyun Ae raised her head that had been focused on the uneven ground and spotted Jin-Sang near the entrance, shouldering a shovel and a bucket of road salt. He lifted the shovel in greeting when he saw her.

"Caught a cold?", she asked when she reached him and heard him stifle another cough. "You should ask the Principal to give you a few days off to cure it."

The big man shook his head with a smile. "No need, doctor. It's really nuthin'. Thank you for worrying though. Have a nice day!"

"You too, Jin-Sang", replied Hyun Ae and was just about to enter the school, when something crossed her mind.

She pondered the idea for a moment. She struggled with herself, but in the end her worry won.

"Won't you tell me where he is?", she asked.

Jin-Sang jumped at the sudden question and then turned around. He looked bashful.

"I'm afraid I can't", he answered. "Simply because I don't know", he added hastily. "Believe me, I'm as worried what he's up to as you are. I believe that only Principal Lee and Master Rai know the place. But they're careful to never say anything about it. I'm sorry."

Hyun Ae cringed her brows. "Can't you sniff him out?"

Jin-Sang grinned for a second, but then he rubbed his beard with one gloved hand. "I actually tried that two days ago. But seems like I'm just not in his league. I lost the scent after a few blocks. It might have worked had I tried earlier."

They stood for a moment in awkward silence. He felt pity for her crestfallen disappointment.

_I didn't want to propose this, _he thought. _It might mean more trouble than help. But look at her sad face. I should let her decide for herself._

"You could ask the werewolves, Doctor Choi", said Jin-Sang softly. "If anyone can find him it would be them."

Hyun Ae gave him a thoughtful gaze. "That might be true", she said faintly, as if not wholly daring to believe it. She blinked and then her eyes were full of resolve.

"Do you know where I can find them?", she asked.

"Yes, they gave me their address", answered Jin-Sang and rummaged around in his pockets for a while until he drew out a folded piece of paper and gave it to her.

"Thank you", said Hyun Ae and smiled so sweetly at him, that he coughed, blushed and stuttered something like 'No problem', before he hastily turned away.

M-21 lay on the bed in a darkened room. He had not eaten for days, but he did not care nor did it worry him. Except for a faint feeling of dizziness nothing was wrong with his body.

The more he tried not to think about the past, the more he remembered. It was as if a dam had been broken and he was too weak to hold the flood of memories back.

He had given up the fight and was letting the memories wash over him, drifting between uneasy sleep and exhausted consciousness, losing all sense of time.

"I've finally found the perfect experiment for you", said Doctor Crombel, escorting him to the escalator.

With a soft 'ping' the doors of brushed steel slid open and they both stepped in. He pressed the button to the bottom floor.

M-21 was curious. He had never been taken to the bottom floor.

"We will transplant you the heart of a rare species", continued the gray-haired man. "It should lend you incredible power."

"A heart transplantation?", repeated M-21 disbelieving. "That's too risky. Is there no other way?"

Crombel looked at him as if he was a rather dim and ungrateful child. "Our methods are practically infallible", he said with disdain. "There is no reason for worry. Here, you can see the specimen for yourself!"

He pointed at a white door at the end of the corridor. Two heavily armed guards nodded at him as he approached it. At a sign from Crombel, one of them entered a ten-digit code into the control panel.

The door opened with a shrill warning signal.

They stepped into a square room packed with medical equipment. All surfaces were clean and hard-edged. The cold neon light intensified the uncomfortable atmosphere. A shiver ran down M-21's spine.

They approached an examination table at the far end of the room. M-21 eyed the empty tank as they passed it with a mix of morbid curiosity and horror. A tall, muscular man was strapped down on the examination table with thick bands of steel. His body was plastered with monitoring equipment and IV cannulas. A team of three doctors was bustling around him.

"Wake him up", ordered Crombel one of them, a black-haired man, about thirty years of age. He nodded hastily and adjusted the infusions.

M-21 watched with fascination as the man stirred. First, his nose twitched. Then suddenly he was looking into a pair of dark yellow eyes that seemed to glow from within.

"Crombel!", growled the man and his gaze shifted to the scientist. "Have you come to watch me thrash around for a bit?" His lips curled up in a contemptuous smile.

"Nothing like that, Alan", replied Crombel politely. "I wanted to introduce you to my young friend here." He laid one hand on M-21's shoulder.

"Tch!", made the man. "Even turning against your own lot now?" He threw his head around to look M-21 in the eye. The steel against his neck dug deep into his skin, it looked like it hurt a great deal, but he did not even twitch.

"Listen up, youngster!" barked the man. "Whatever this bastard told you, run as long as you can. There's nothing to gain here, just a slow and painful death."

He let himself fall back again and closed his eyes.

"The cornered wolf has nothing left except his sharp tongue", drawled Crombel. "You are mistaken, Alan. I'll give him your heart as a present. Your power shall be wielded by someone more worthy of it than you monster."

When the man did not answer, Crombel made an irritated gesture and turned around. "Get him back into the tank for today", he said to the scientists. "I want him in best condition."

M-21 found himself back in the dark room. He took a few shaking breaths. _Alan!, _he thought. _I met Alan when he was still alive._

He tried to remember how the man on the examination table had looked like. He had been tall and very muscular. A European face with thick black hair and a beard on his upper lip and chin. Both hair and beard shot with silver strands.

He could not believe how Henri and Cassia could ever have seen this man in him. And he had warned him.

_How could I ever have been so deluded to think that I could gain something by participating in that experiment? Hell, how power-hungry was I? I even let Crombel fuck me just to be his guinea pig? That wasn't the only time, no I know I talked to Alan a second time..._

"Good evening, Henri de Coreanus. I need to talk to you."

"_Entrez_, Doctor Choi", said Henri, quickly overcoming his surprise.

Hyun Ae stepped into the warm light of a small flat. A few candleholders were scattered around the room and lending it a touch of gold.

"My, what an honor", came a mocking voice from the next room. Cassia stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and her false smile showing a set of sharp white teeth.

"I am very sorry to intrude", said Hyun Ae with a small bow.

"You no doubt have your reasons", said Henri and led her over to a sitting group. "Why don't you sit down, _s'il-vous plaît_ and tell us?"

Hyun Ae settled down and Henri sank into the armchair opposite of her. Cassia remained standing.

"Perhaps you do not know", began Hyun Ae, staring at her hands, "but M-21 has run from the Principal's house."

"That is indeed news for us", replied Henri and leaned eagerly forward. "We haven't heard from him for quite a while. Please enlighten us."

"I can't tell you much, either", answered Hyun Ae and looked him into the eye. She looked troubled. "Cadis seems to know the reason, but he promised not to tell me. Him and the Principal also know where he is now, but refuse to tell me either. He's been gone for more than a week now and although I first thought that he should work out things on his own, I'm beginning to doubt my decision now."

"How very smart of you", drawled Cassia and approached them slowly. "And you expect us to do _what_ exactly, now?"

"I want you to find him", said Hyun Ae. "If anyone can, then you."

Henri gave her a sad little smile and shook his head. At once, his face darkened and he sprang forward.

"Cassia! _NON_!", he shouted. He yanked the blond woman roughly back by the shoulder. Cassia growled and snarled, her hands transformed to razor-sharp claws.

"How dare she, that bitch! Reducing us to a pair of blood hounds? Where is your pride, Henri? Where?"

The brown-haired man led her to his armchair and pressed her down on it.

"_Ne prends pas le mors aux dents_", he said evenly. "It should be Alan saying this to you. But since Alan is no longer here, I must say it. Look at her. She is simply worried for her friend."

"Her friend!", snorted Cassia. She glared at Doctor Choi. "Don't think I can't smell how you want him, bitch! I would never help the likes of you!"

"I'm sorry", said Hyun Ae. "For what Leila Priscilla d'Opacus did to you. She is part of me now, so I should bear the responsibility. I'm also sorry for what the organization did to Alan de Coreanus. Believe me that I only ever tried to hinder them from continuing with their horrid experiments. Yet I do care about M-21 and I'm not sorry for that."

She looked at Cassia with a steady gaze. Cassia looked back, her yellow eyes blazing, yet she calmed down a bit.

"Fine", she said. "But even if we wanted, we couldn't find him. If Alan decided not to be found, it was useless to search for him. We will have to wait until he decides to come back."

"Oh", said Hyun Ae and bit her lip. Suddenly she felt very exhausted and her eyes burned.

_Can't I do anything?_, she thought. _Each time I think I have him he slips away again._

"Let me tell you something about the man you are so desperately trying to find", said Henri and straightened up. "I'll make us some tea."

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**Note:**

_Entrez_ - Enter

_s'il-vous plaît_ - please

_Ne prends pas le mors aux dents_ - don't be swiped away by fury

Next chapter will feature my version of how M-21 got his scar. As always, reviews are much appreciated!


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Since there's nothing really important to say, just enjoy the next chapter!**  
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**Chapter 26: Cicatrix**

_Cicatrix is a dermatologic expression for scar. Any skin defect that reaches deep enough will result in a scar. Scar tissue is less perfused than normal skin and consists mainly of fibres. Genetic predisposition and illnesses like diabetes mellitus can result in reduced wound healing and thick, reddened scars which sometimes reopen and need to be closed surgically. Local compression by special clothing can prevent these hypertrophic scars which often appear after heavy burns. Scar tissue is said to carry a higher risk for melanoma than healthy skin. _

"Let me in", said M-21 with more confidence than he felt. To his surprise, the two guards nodded and the white door opened for him.

He entered the room. He had half feared that the man would be in the tank and he would not be able to talk to him without making a fuss. A part of him wished to have an excuse to back out again.

He wondered vaguely why he had come in the first place.

But his feet had already moved on their own accord.

Today, only one scientist was present. He looked up in surprise when he heard feet approaching.

The man on the table sniffed the air. "Ah, it's you, youngster", he said. "Didn't Crombel tell you to check the tank, Turgo?"

The scientist jumped. "Damn!", he cursed. "The subject telling me what to do." Still, he trudged over to the other side of the room, throwing M-21 a sideways glance as he passed him.

"Now that we have a moment to talk, is he not too old for you, youngster?", growled the man.

"How...?", asked M-21 confused.

"I can smell it", answered the man. "That and the scent of blood." His eyes flashed for a moment.

M-21 had unconsciously touched the side of his mouth. The cut was still stinging. But even more stung the humiliation.

"_Once was the deal", _he heard his own voice echo in his head. _"A second time is out of the question!" _

A flash of metal, a searing pain on his mouth.

"_How about your pretty face now?", _mocked the voice of Crombel. _"Come on. I'll sew it for you. If you are a nice boy now."_

"Shit", he mumbled and gritted his teeth. "I shouldn't have agreed to this risky venture in the first place. I should just get out of here and take you with me to get back at that bastard."

The man grinned. "Better late than never, youngster. If you hurry, I can..."

The sound of the door opening interrupted him. Crombel and a train of scientists and guards filed in.

"Too late", said the man, more calmness than disappointment in his voice. "Nice to have met you, youngster. Take care of my heart, will you?"

"I...", began M-21, but hard hands had already closed around his upper arms and were dragging him away. The last that he saw of Alan de Coreanus were his yellow eyes that fiercely burned into his own.

His fingers brushed over the scar. He had always asked himself how he had attained it. Never had it crossed his mind that it might have been at such a despicable occasion. _How can I ever look at my face again without disgust?, _he asked himself.

"_Vous l'aimez_", stated Henri matter-of-factly. "And you constantly wonder whether he cares for you, too. Your whole demeanor is filled with doubt. Doubt in yourself, doubt in him."

He placed a tablet with tea on the table nearly soundlessly. Cassia began pouring tea, calmer now and less hostile. But she settled down in the place farthest away from Hyun Ae.

"You have a sharp eye, Henri de Coreanus", acknowledged the doctor. Her pale hand shook slightly when she raised her cup, showing her agitation. "Indeed I feel that I'm not objective when it comes to M-21 and that scares me."

"You know instinctively that he is no saint at heart, yet you are afraid to find out something that might make you hate him", Henri continued.

Hyun Ae merely nodded and took a sip of the steaming tea. Her eyes were fixed on the dark-haired man's face with unwavering attention.

"Alan was _un coureur de filles_, a man of many women. That is why Cassia is so jealous."

"I'm not jealous!", objected Cassia angrily. She raised her chin, but said without looking at the two of them, "he was also reckless and prone to bloodlust."

"That does not sound very likeable, does it?", asked Henri. Without waiting for an answer, he added, "but he was also a great leader and fierce protector of anybody for whom he cared. He was calm and not easy to anger, relying on diplomacy and wisdom rather than on fighting strength. You will not stop to care for someone just because he has a part that you hate. It makes caring harder, but it does not stop us, our hearts are not this shallow."

"You may be right", said Hyun Ae with a small smile. "I did not stop caring for him when I heard that he tried to kill the children. I thought I could only hate such a person, but I found that this isn't true."

"You do realize, that in the back of his mind, M-21 loves the power that was given to him? That he itches to test it out on living prey, to shed their blood and see them squirm? He tries to consciously suppress these urges, but they are part of him and will never truly go away."

"Stop, Henri!", exclaimed Cassia. "You said too much."

Hyun Ae's face had frozen and turned ashen gray. Her crimson eyes were filled with a mix of abhorrence and despair. Deep beneath the surface, the part of her that was Pandora delighted in seeing her own desires reflected.

Finally, when a warm hand had settled on her shoulder, she managed to close her eyes and draw a few deep breaths.

_Against all better judgment I have stayed the fool I was, _she thought. _I still believed deep down that he had done anything the organization asked of him in a need of better options, always hating it in secret. I would never have dreamed that he might have enjoyed it. I pushed Pandora down too far. She would have understood the fascination of overwhelming power. Have I not caught a glimpse of that feeling when R-82 survived? It might not be too unimaginable a sin to desire the power of god. It might even be something that sleeps in every human. I should not be too harsh with my sentence._

She reopened her eyes and stared in surprise into the yellow eyes of Cassia de Coreanus. When the tall blonde realized that she had regained her senses, she let go of her shoulder and shook her head with a sound of reproof.

"Humans are such fragile creatures", she mumbled while returning to her seat. "Despite his lacking personality, have you ever considered that he might not be the kind of person that can suffer to be loved?"

Hyun Ae gazed at her in worry. "What do you mean by that?", she inquired.

"I mean that he is distanced. This has nothing to do with Alan, not at all. But I can sense when people are not part of the pack. He lost his pack, the only one he ever had. Now he has decided that he will fight alone and he will not allow anyone to get near enough to ever touch his core. If you really love him, then you are fighting a losing battle. You will only ever be able to protect him from afar."

"I..", began Hyun Ae, searching for words. "Thank you for your earnest words, both of you. I found more of M-21 here than I had hoped. I would like to pay you back, but I don't know how."

"_C'est facile_", said Henri.

"Just bring him back alive", said Cassia and for the first time of their acquaintanceship, she smiled at Hyun Ae. She looked dazzlingly pretty and Hyun Ae thought how very lucky Alan de Coreanus had been to have had her.

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**Note:**

_Vous l'aimez_ - You love him (polite form)

_un coureur de filles_ - skirt chaser

_C'est facile_ - That is easy

What do you say? Like my scar backstory? What about the werewolves' insights? Reviewreviewreview!


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long wait. In compensation I have an extra-long chapter with lots of new developments. Enjoy!**  
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**Chapter 27: White mist**

M-21 awoke with a bad taste in his mouth. His tongue felt like a foreign object and his hands were numb and uncomfortably dry. When he sat up, his head spun for a moment. He swayed and blinked.

Obviously, his body could hold out quite long without food, but a lot less time without a drink.

He staggered into the kitchen and rummaged in the cupboards for a glass or cup. A smile tugged at his lips when he discovered the food supply. Apart from some canned goods and rice there was a large stack of instant ramen.

He took one package out and weighed it in his hand. After a second of thought, he decided to prepare it in honor of the old days. It would taste nowhere near as good as the Principal's self-made ramen, yet if he could not have that...

M-21 gulped down two large glasses of cool tap water while he waited for the noodles to soften. He ate leaning against the kitchen counter, relishing the feeling of something warm and nourishing in his stomach after days of self induced abstinence.

Unbidden, with the smell of the meal, a memory formed in his head.

He was small, still a child and a tall man cast his giant's shadow on his face.

"You'll get dinner if you behave well. Now shut up and be a good boy."

"Yes, father", he heard his own voice say and then the sound of shattering pottery ripped him back to the present.

The bowl had slipped from his hands and he stood frozen to the spot, his feet splattered with soup. Then a shudder ran through him and he dashed to the bathroom and threw up, coughing and shaking. Cold sweat had broken out on his skin and dark blots danced before his eyes.

How could he ever have forgotten those cold gray eyes and the hard grip of those large hands? How long had it taken until he had learned what kept him fed and out of harm's way? He could remember the look of pity on his mother's face and how he had first not understood and then learned to despise it. He could remember the feeling of triumph on the foggy autumn day that he had stood at his parent's grave.

The sun was a pale, milky shadow in a sea of gray. Even the usually glowing red of the autumn foliage seemed dim, as if clad in a veil. The air was heavy with wetness so that his black hair fell over his ears in damp strands.

His face hurt from the effort not to smile. The stiff collar felt too tight to properly breathe. He stood with a stony face while the priest recounted the highlights of his parent's lives, hoping that people might mistake his missing tears for a young man's brave effort to hide his grief.

All sound seemed muffled in the fog and he could almost imagine his parents not only dead but vanishing into nothingness, entering a sphere on non-being.

A heavy hand settled on his shoulder and he jumped, turning around at once, half fearing that this gray day had merely been a dream. But the owner of the hand was not his father, but a man he could vaguely remember having seen at home. He was a co-worker of his father's, if he remembered correctly.

The man's face was filled with friendly worry.

"Are you all right, my boy?", he asked.

M-21 nodded. "Thank you for you concern", he added hastily.

The warmth of the man's hand seeped through his clothes. He wondered vaguely whether it should linger there for that long. Half listening to the man's words, he only nodded here and there and mumbled unintelligible sounds of consent.

With surprise he realized eventually that the ceremony was over and the dark-clad knot of people was already loosening. The man stepped back and pressed a small piece of paper into his hands.

"Well, think about it and let me know when you have decided. I will be happy to lend you a hand", he said and vanished in a misty wall of black backs.

M-21 looked down at the slightly soggy business card in his hands. Alone in a world of gray he realized that he would never be free of his parents, if he wanted to live on.

Stuffing the card into his pocket, he walked ahead without seeing where the way would take him.

Hyun Ae looked up from her papers when an uneasy feeling crept upon her. She sat back, closed her eyes and tried to listen inside herself, as she always did when she felt strange. There was nothing wrong with her physically, it seemed to be something that came from outside.

She hesitated for a long moment until she reached out to the dark spaces of her mind where Pandora lived.

A laughter sprang up in her head and she felt stupid not to have realized that the mysterious feeling had been the power emanating from another Noble.

She stood up and went over to the window, though she did not need to see the tall white-haired man to know that it was Gejutel D. Landegre, the current leader of Regis' clan.

He was talking to Tao and Takeo, who looked strangely lonely without M-21 beside them.

_I guess I'm not the only one who misses him, _Hyun Ae thought fleetingly.

She went back to her papers, because Leila's memories told her that Gejutel had a strict policy of never hurting humans so she concluded the two men and the students would be all right without her interference.

It was getting late when a knock at the door startled Hyun Ae.

"Come in", she called and the door revealed the Principal, smiling politely at her.

"I wanted to invite you over to dinner tonight, if you are free, Doctor Choi", he said.

Hyun Ae smiled slyly and asked, "Will I meet your honored guest, Principal Lee?"

His smile grew a bit brighter. "I see there is no use to keep you in the dark. I know your clans were not on best terms. Will you come nonetheless?"

"Of course I will", replied Hyun Ae graciously. "Since I am not Leila Priscilla d'Opacus, I could care less for things that are in the past now."

Despite her brave words in front of Frankenstein, Hyun Ae was quite nervous when she rang the bell at the Principal's house. She straightened her dark gray skirt, wondering for the umpteenth time whether it was too short or too old-fashioned for the occasion.

The sound of the door opening ripped her out of her thoughts. Jin-Sang greeted her with a genuine smile on his bearded face, but she was too shocked to return it. A hot searing pain shot through her body.

_It's been how long since I last saw him? About two or three weeks? How could I not notice?, _she thought.

There was an unhealthy pallor to the skin of her old experiment. He looked like he had lost weight. And there was this cough that would not go away...

"No way...", whispered Hyun Ae. Then she straightened up and her small hand closed around Jin-Sang's arm.

"Principal!", she called.

Frankenstein hurried to her side, alarmed by the tone of her voice and was surprised to see her seething with anger.

"How long?", asked Hyun Ae. "How long since you checked up on him?"

Frankenstein stared a moment in confusion then opened his mouth, but it was Jin-Sang who spoke.

"Don't be mad at him, Doctor", he said. "He offered to examine me a couple of times, but I refused. I didn't want to cause any trouble, you all being so generous to me, anyway."

"I'll be using you lab, Principal", announced Hyun Ae and proceeded to drag the tall man with her.

"I will join you as soon as good manners permit it", promised the blonde, his face now full of worry.

In the basement laboratory, Hyun Ae had Jin-Sang sit down on one of the examination tables. While she prepared a set of blood test tubes, she showered him with questions.

"How much weight have you lost?"

"Been feeling tired or weak for some time?"

"Do you sweat a lot during the night?"

"Did you have trouble breathing lately?"

She hastily took some blood and told him to undress. With rising panic, she rummaged around in search for a stethoscope.

"Did you have a temperature lately?"

"Have you noticed anything odd?"

"Yeah, those spots here", answered Jin-Sang when she let him a moment to speak. He rolled up the legs of his trousers and showed her that his legs were covered with tiny pinprick spots of dark red.

Hyun Ae examined them closely and pressed against the skin to see whether they would become lighter or not.

"Thrombopenia", she mumbled tonelessly. "Your blood platelets are low", she added after a glance in his confused face.

Her frown deepened when she auscultated his lung.

"We will make a computer tomography", she decided and led him over to the diagnostic table. A pained expression ran over her face when she heard him coughing again.

She leaned her forehead against the cool metal of the x-ray-proof protection wall while the CT did its work. Her legs shook while she stared at the pictures slowly appearing on the monitor.

_I was right, there is an infiltrate in the right lower lobe. He has a pneumonia. What antibiotics should I give? Should I take blood cultures first? How about a bone marrow aspiration? I..._

She twitched when a warm hand settled on her shoulder and Frankenstein looked her in the face with a steady and firm gaze.

"You should calm down, Doctor Choi", he said softly. "I know you feel responsible. In fact, you are. But so am I for not insisting enough. You go up there now and have Seira offer you some hot tea and something to eat. I will take care of things for today. Understood?"

Hyun Ae nodded. For once, she was grateful that somebody took a case out of her hands. She gave the Principal a small smile and made her way up the stairs on weak knees.

When everyone turned to her entering the living room, she remembered why she had been invited.

"So it is true", remarked Gejutel with a cold air to his voice. "You are alive after all, Leila Priscilla d'Opacus."

"It is an honor to meet you, Gejutel R. Landegre", replied Hyun Ae and gave a small bow. When no answer came, she looked around in puzzlement. "Have the circumstances not been explained to you?"

"The Owner instructed us to let you speak for yourself, Doctor Choi", answered Seira. "But do sit down please while we talk."

"Thank you, Seira", smiled Hyun Ae and tried to find a way to start explaining things. She ventured for a straight approach.

"I am not, in fact, Leila Priscilla d'Opacus", she began. "Though I bear her heritage that has been passed to me against both our wills during an abominable experiment. I wish to believe that most of me is still Hyun Ae Choi, doctor of Ye Ran High School. So this is our first meeting."

"I apologize for my misinterpretation, Miss Choi", said Gejutel smoothly. "You must understand that I was not very pleased to meet a member of the Opacus clan."

"I understand", replied Hyun Ae, looking down into her cup. "I understand that I have to take responsibility for what Leila did in the past."

She put her cup down with a soft clatter, stood up and bowed deeply.

"I, Hyun Ae Choi, apologize for the actions of the Opacus clan towards you and your clan, Gejutel R. Landegre, in the name of Leila Priscilla d'Opacus."

The white-haired noble looked at her in surprise, but then his red eyes softened somewhat and he acknowledged her with a slight nod.

Hyun Ae sat down again. "I may seem strange, but right now I think I prefer the ways of your clan to those of the Opacus clan."

"Especially regarding the werewolves", added Regis with a smirk.

"Regis!", whispered Seira appalled. Tao and Takeo exchanged a grin.

"What is this about?", demanded Gejutel with a stern face.

"Ah, well", stuttered Hyun Ae, her cheeks reddening. With a sudden jolt of pain she remembered that she had not seen M-21 for many days and that she desperately longed for his presence.

"You might want to know that members of the Coreanus tribe are presently staying in this city."

"You have made peace with the Coreanus tribe?", Gejutel asked disbelieving. "Then I suppose you really are none like Leila Priscilla. But let me tell you one thing: the Lord will be most displeased to hear that the Opacus clan is not wiped out."

"The Lord? Don't tell me...", Hyun Ae was overwhelmed by memories floating around in her head. She felt like she remembered many years of struggling and intrigues.

"It seems as if you remember", said the Noble. "She never favored the Opacus clan, even before you acted against her."

"Since you will be going back, Gejutel-nim", said Hyun Ae. "I have a request. Please do not tell her about me. I know I have no right to beg anything of you..."

"You have my word", replied the white-haired man. "Who would I be to doubt your worthiness, Miss Choi?" He nodded over to Rai and Hyun Ae understood.

"Thank you very much, leader of the Landegre Clan."

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**Note: **Now the plot is back with the original plot, though it will take some time until this gets important again. And new dramatic turns of events, those are what keep me from finishing the story: whenever a problem is nearly solved, another dramatic turn enters my head^^. Well, what do you say? Review!


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the wait. Between writing applications, swordfighting training and learning, there hasn't been enough time for posting. I promise I'll try to post more regularly. Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 28: Neutropenic fever**

_Neutrophile granulocytes are a type of immune cells highly important to fend off infections. When their number decreases due to illnesses like AIDS or leukemia, the patients are likely to catch infections more easily and they will be more severe and more prolonged than for people with an intact immune system. Neutropenic fever is a common disease pattern for people with leukemia and patients undergoing chemotherapy against many types of cancer. It can result in life threatening systemic inflammation. Thus, patients with low granulocytes are isolated until the cells have regenerated and any signs of infection are immediately treated._

Hyun Ae stared at the paper in her hands without really seeing it. She felt cold inside as if a block of ice had been dumped in her stomach and was slowly freezing her innermost core.

"Shush, Hyun Ae", said the voice of Bae Kim softly and his shoulder bumped against hers in a reassuring way. "You are no use to him like that. Get a grip and think about what we can do step by step. We are already treating the pneumonia. Next we start the fitting chemotherapy. If it doesn't help we can still go for a bone marrow transplantation. If you want I'll contact a friend who is a specialist in oncology."

"No", whispered Hyun Ae, barely audible. "We cannot involve anyone else. We will have to do another gene analysis. The mutations might be becoming unstable, at least that's what I fear."

It did not help that her fear was proven right. It also did not help that Jin-Sang's condition was getting worse by the day.

Frankenstein allowed Hyun Ae to move in to Pandora's old room and gave her time off the job so she could care for her patient.

She took blood samples, changed infusions and watched over his sleep. Whenever she had time to spare she searched medical literature about similar cases, trying to find a fitting therapy.

"You still awake, Doctor Choi?", called a soft voice from the door.

Takeo slipped in quietly and came to stand beside her. His eyes lingered on the sleeping form of the huge man. He looked thin and sallow now, his dark beard beginning to thin out, his arms covered in slowly healing bruises from IV-cannulas and taking of blood samples.

He turned his head to look at the doctor.

"You're beginning to look like a ghost yourself, Doctor Choi", he said. "Taking care of your own needs doesn't make you a bad person, you know?"

"I know", Hyun Ae replied tonelessly. "I guess I just want to suffer a bit, too. I know it's childish." She sighed and looked at her hands. "I cannot think clearly. It's always 'What have I done? What have I done?' If he dies, how will I be able to live with this guilt?"

Takeo crouched down beside her chair and rested his arms on the edge of the bed.

"You know, Doctor Choi", he said. "You just happen to be surrounded by people who did horrible things and feel guilty for it. Jin-Sang is also one of them. I still wake up sometimes from dreaming of all the people I tried to save and whom Shark killed just to get to me. It's like I killed them myself. I am responsible for their deaths even if I did not want them to die. This feeling of guilt...it will never go away. I try to make it up by fighting against the organization to prevent even more senseless killing."

He stood up soundlessly. "I don't know whether this helps you. But you can always talk to me or Tao if you feel like you can't take it anymore. And please, go to sleep now."

Hyun Ae did not look up when he left the room. The door clicked shut behind him and she was alone again with the steady rattling breath of her patient.

_What perverse irony, _she thought bitterly. _In trying to create a being more powerful than a mere human, I succeeded in reducing a perfectly strong man to such a weak state. He must hate me for making him suffer so much. I should never have dabbled with god's business. I should never have gone to work for the organization. What have we gained? Another senseless death for the selfish sake of science. If giving my life could save him I would not hesitate. Yet what is there left for me to do? I have failed as a doctor._

With such chastening thoughts on her mind, she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

"Doctor! Hey, Doctor Choi!"

Hyun Ae shot up, winced at her hurting back and shoulders and rubbed her sleepy eyes. Jin-Sang was smiling at her.

"And here I thought you'd never wake up", he grinned.

"Sorry, I just fell asleep right here. Shall I get you something to eat?"

The man shook his head. "I haven't much of an appetite", he said. "Actually, I wanted to ask something else of you. A last selfish request."

"Last request?", repeated Hyun Ae with a shiver. "Don't say such things!"

"You are the doctor, but I can tell how it will end, too. I am grateful that you did not try to ice things over for me. It's good to know the truth, even if the truth is hard to bear." He gave a lopsided smile. "I wish I could have done more than just taking care of things around the school. Still, I'm happy. I'm going as a free man and that is more than I had hoped for. But now there is not much time left and there's still something I wanted to do. Could you fetch M-21 for me? I wanted to speak with him."

"Sure I will", nodded Hyun Ae, trying hard to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Her throat felt tight and raw. She stood up hastily and left the room, searching for Frankenstein.

"It's time that you told me where he is hiding", said Hyun Ae. Her voice shook a bit, but her crimson eyes were full of resolve.

"I told you many times that Master gave his word not to tell", replied Frankenstein irritated.

"But you did not!", raged the woman. "Who are you to...to deny a d-dying man his wish?" She finally burst in tears and turned around, covering her face with her hands.

"What are you saying?", asked Frankenstein, struck with worry. "Did Jin-Sang say something?"

"He...he wanted to talk to him", pressed Hyun Ae out between two sobs.

"I'm sorry", exclaimed Frankenstein and stood there awkwardly, half wanting to soothe her, half reluctant to touch her.

"What has passed?", asked Seira who just came back from shopping. She quickly deposited her bag of groceries on the table, laid one slender arm around Hyun Ae and led her to the sofa. She gently stroked the other woman's dark hair while she cried onto her shoulder. Her red eyes shot Frankenstein a killer look.

"Would you kindly explain the situation?", she said, as always perfectly polite.

"It seems Jin-Sang asked her to bring M-21", explained Frankenstein. "I foolishly refused her request without knowing the reason. I shall redeem myself by fetching him on my own. Would you tell Master if he returns before me?"

"I shall", agreed Seira and continued consoling Hyun Ae.

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**Note: **Review!


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **I wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but a virus brought my PC. You'll have to thank my brother that I can post this today. Enjoy!**  
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**Chapter 29: Snow**

Frankenstein dashed into the small flat and hastily looked around for M-21. He found him sleeping in the bathtub, his head resting on the rim in an uncomfortable angle, the water already freezing cold. For a terrifying moment he thought the man was dead.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the pale chest gently rise and fall.

"M-21", he said urgently, gently shaking him. A pair of gray eyes blinked at him, their expression unlike any he had seen before. But there was no time for that now.

Frankenstein pulled him forcefully out of the water and pressed a towel in his hands.

"Dry up and dress, please. You need to come with me immediately", he commanded.

M-21 did as he was told in silence and three minutes later, the two of them were already leaving the flat, breaking into a fast run as soon as the door fell shut behind them.

"What's going on?", asked M-21. "Is someone in danger? Is Doctor Choi?"

"No", replied Frankenstein, having to raise his voice against the wind. "It's Jin-Sang. He wants to see you. He has no more time."

M-21 merely nodded. "I thought he smelt odd, lately", he mumbled. "I should have said something."

"I realized something was going on, but did not take it seriously enough", said Frankenstein. "It's too late now for such thoughts. Concentrate on arriving in time."

"Jin-Sang!", called Hyun Ae, bursting into the room. The man looked up in surprise to see her panting form stand in the doorway, her face torn between anxiousness and relief.

"I found a way to safe you!", she said excitedly and came to his side. "If you enter a blood contract with me, you'll certainly recover. I just have to take some blood. Leila knew what to do. We..."

She stopped talking when Jin-Sang shook his head.

"No, Doctor", he said. "This goes too far."

Hyun Ae's smile froze and she stared at him bewildered.

"But...why?", she whispered, her voice cracking.

Jin-Sang threw her a long gaze, reached for her small pale hand and took it in his bigger one.

"I'm sorry. I know you need me to live, not only for mine but for your sake, too. Humans are selfish. But this is my decision. I've made my peace with death. I had my chance. I won't grasp at straws now, only to delay the inevitable. Come on, Doctor. Sit down and wait with me until he comes."

Hyun Ae sank down in the chair, devastated. The hand around her own felt warm and pulsing with life. She did not realize she was crying until the first tear fell on her skin.

"Yes, I am selfish", she said. "All I ever did were selfish things. I entered the organization just to prove myself, to feel important. I used M-21's code to kiss up to Crombel, to make him notice me. I could have gained his trust by less despicable work, sooner or later. But I was greedy, I wanted fast results. I should never have set foot in this medical hell. I have been focused on my own petty little problems, without realizing that you were seriously ill. And now I try to safe you only because I cannot bear the guilt. I have failed. Not only as a doctor, but as a human being. What monster have I become? Or have I been like this all along?"

"At least you have the courage to face up to your mistakes, Doctor", remarked Jin-Sang. His deep voice sounded a bit rough, but it carried a soothing calmness with it.

Hyun Ae felt the wrongness of the whole conversation. She should be the one consoling him, not the other way round.

"Ah, I feel tired", mumbled Jin-Sang. "You'll wake me up when he comes, right, Doctor Choi?"

"Yeah", choked Hyun Ae. "Sure I will." It took her a great effort to keep her voice steady and her eyes dry. Her throat felt tight as if someone was strangling her. She swallowed the sobs that threatened to escape her and gripped the warm hand tighter.

_Please let them be on time!, _she begged silently. _Please grant his last wish. I will never ask for anything else again. Just don't let him go like this._

Hyun Ae sat in silence. After some time, the steady pulse in the hand she was holding calmed her nerves to a certain degree. The rattling breaths came at even intervals. Sun seeped into the room through the half-drawn curtains, painting a long golden square on the floor. She had muted the life monitor, yet its regular patterns were soothing and linked her to the hospital, to well-known terrain.

She felt like a trainee doctor again, inexperienced and insecure, faced with the weight of her responsibility for the first time. This desperate helplessness was exactly the same she had felt when the first patient died on her shift. She ached to do something other than just sit and wait. The doctor in her knew that this was all there was to do for a dying patient and that it was enough. That she was lending support just by being there. But it had always been hard to let go, to realize that there was nothing else to try, that the almighty medicine had failed. It always hurt and she was always left behind wondering whether she had made the right choices.

She knew now that she had chosen wrong, that her decisions had shortened this man's life. She had always thought that the uncertainty was unbearable, but she had never known being sure of one's mistakes. It was hell.

Just as she gazed at Jin-Sang's face again, his nose twitched and he inhaled deeply. He lifted his eyelids a few millimeters and glanced up to her.

"It smells like fresh snow", he mumbled. "Is it snowing outside, Doctor Choi?"

Hyun Ae caught a glimpse of the blue sky through the window. She smiled sadly.

"Seems so, Jin-Sang", she answered gently.

"I brought him!", exclaimed Frankenstein and he stumbled into the room, panting heavily.

Hyun Ae sat at the bed, her hands holding Jin-Sang's. She turned her head, but instead of the happy expression the blonde had been expecting, her face showed nothing at all. Her eyes seemed to look through him. She turned back to staring ahead without uttering a word.

"I knew the moment we entered the house", murmured M-21, his face stony. He let himself be pushed into the room by the Principal. Frankenstein slipped out and closed the door silently behind him.

M-21 stood a moment at the door, unsure of what to do. The smell of death was overwhelming. He was grateful that his stomach was empty. With a few halting steps he went over to the bed. It struck him how ill Jin-Sang looked. In his memory he had been brawny and healthy, a strong-backed man with a loud laugh. He looked older than his years now and thin as if he had been dried out. His skin was sallow and papery.

M-21 reached for the free hand to gently touch it as if to reassure himself that this was real.

A split second later Doctor Choi was strangling him with terrible strength. Her eyes flashed wildly. The sun was gone.

"How dare you come too late?", she hissed.

He made a choking noise at the back of his throat. There was a loud humming in his ears. He felt himself slip into unconsciousness. Then the hand was gone and Doctor Choi was herself again.

She stared at him in horror.

"What have I done?", she whispered. Dark red marks had appeared were her fingers had been.

"I...I nearly..." She broke off and stared at her hands. "Why are they soaked in blood?", she mumbled.

M-21 gripped her by the shoulders and shook her once, hard.

"There's nothing wrong with your hands", he said firmly.

She looked up into his face and her mad expression softened, making way for desperation. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he pulled her close, momentarily forgetting about Jin-Sang, his nose filled with her scent.

"Why weren't you there?", she whispered, nearly inaudible. "Why weren't you there?", she cried and finally the stupor left her. All the sobs she had bravely swallowed wrenched their way up and her tears soaked M-21's shirt. He stood and held her lean warm body. It felt wrong to feel this happy.

"I'm sorry", he said and stroked her fine dark hair. "I'm sorry", he repeated, but now he was not only speaking to her but also to the silent person in the bed.

He wondered what he had wanted to say to him. Why this man's last words would have been directed to him. He would never know now. He had been robbed of something precious.

The last words of M-24 echoed through his head. _"I'm sorry. Looks like you're going to have to find a name for me as well. I'm sorry for making you carry such a heavy burden alone. I'm sorry for leaving you by yourself. I'm sorry..."_

The thought of his dead comrades had always spurred him on. Until he had found out that he had never been their comrade from the start. That it had been all a lie and he, the liar, was the only one left alive. Now he had just let another dead man down for his own selfish reasons.

Why was destiny instead of punishing him, rewarding him by leaving this beautiful creature in his arms? He knew he should never touch her again, yet he could not bring himself to let her go.

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**Note: **Well, it's been a sad chapter. But since Jin-Sang appeared in my story I always knew that he was a character who would not be able to survive for long. The circumstances of R-21's rebirth were too fragile to last him long. And I guess even such a story needs to show that not everything is possible and that miracles won't happen as much as we may wish for them.

I hope you'll still read on and of course please tell me what you think.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Chapter 30 already! I want to thank all my lovely readers and especially those who always review so faithfully, you make me really happy! I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**  
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**Chapter 30: Alcohol dehydrogenase**

_The alcohol dehydrogenase (short ADH) is the main enzyme that processes alcohol in the human body. It is located mainly in the liver and breaks ethanol down to acetaldehyde. This toxic metabolite is one of the reasons for a hangover in the morning._

_The alcohol dehydrogenase also transforms methanol to formaldehyde, which is highly toxic. That is why patients who have ingested methanol can be treated with high doses of ethanol which will block the enzyme for methanol thus decreasing toxic metabolites._

_How many alcohol we can take is among other factors dependent on how much alcohol dehydrogenase our body possesses. _

It was one of those clear and frosty days, the air fresh and biting cold. The ground was frozen hard like rock, the grass white with hoar frost. The sounds of their footsteps and the priest's mumbling carried far.

Hyun Ae felt unbearably tired. Every step seemed to take too much effort. The sight of the coffin being lowered made Jin Sang's death more real than the feel of his lifeless hand. Yet she could no longer cry. She almost envied Yuuna and Suyi, who were standing a few feet away, holding each other up, their eyes already rimmed with red.

As her hand reached out blindly, slim fingers closed around it. She looked up to see Seira looking at her solemnly.

M-21 blinked. For a moment he had seen things through a milky veil, as if the cemetery was filled with fog. He jumped when a heavy hand settled on his shoulder.

"You all right?", said Tao's voice from far away. He swayed.

"Shit! Help me out here, Takeo!"

Then his arms were slung over a pair of shoulders and he was stumbling away from the wall of black backs. He came to on the hard wood of a park bench. His head still felt dizzy.

"What was that?", asked Tao, his voice a mix of irritation and worry. "Fainting all of a sudden!"

"Sorry", mumbled M-21. "Just felt a bit funny..." He laid one hand over his forehead and forced his eyes to focus.

"You should've stayed behind if you felt ill", said Takeo and pulled him up into a sitting position. Immediately, dark blots began dancing in front of his eyes. He took a few quick deep breaths. His pulse raced.

"Should have eaten something, I guess", he said with a crooked smile and pushed a shaking hand through his hair.

"You _do_ look kinda peaky", stated Tao and poked his chest.

"I feel sick", murmured M-21, resting his forehead on his hands.

"Listen, M-21", said Takeo with a voice that forbid any argument. "You've been like this since whatever Frankenstein did to you a few weeks ago. Won't you already tell us what's going on?"

"We're your comrades", added Tao. "We want to help."

M-21 shook his head slowly. "You wouldn't understand...", he began.

Then the air was pressed out of his lungs, when Tao pushed him hard against the wooden back of the bench and grabbed his jacket. His face was contorted with anger.

"Don't give us that shit!", he spat. "Out with it! I can't stand you wallowing in self-pity anymore."

"Tch", said M-21 and a flicker of contempt lit up in his face. "If you want to know that badly... Frankenstein made me remember my past and it's so fucking bad that I wish I had never asked. Satisfied?"

Tao let him go and for a moment, he and Takeo only stared at the gray-haired man. Then Takeo started to laugh.

"What's so funny?", growled M-21.

"That's rich coming from someone who told me not to mourn over spilt milk", smirked Takeo. "Whatever it is, M-21, the past is just that: past. Why concern yourself with it?"

"That's why I said you wouldn't understand", said M-21. "Want to know how I got this scar?" He slapped a hand against the side of his mouth and laughed once, mirthlessly. "Crombel gave it to me because I wouldn't fuck him _twice_. See? I'm disgusted with myself!"

He stood up at once and left the two sitting there. As he walked away between the graves, his footsteps crunched loudly on the frozen grass.

"Hell", said Tao after a while and traded a sheepish gaze with Takeo. "Did we push him too far?"

"He'll come around", answered Takeo. "...I guess. But I never thought there was such a reason behind his behavior. Makes me kinda think we were lucky Doctor Arith developed our experiments."

"Yeah", agreed Tao and scratched his head. "But I don't see how the fact that Crombel is even more of a sick bastard than we thought, is making M-21 a bad person. Wonder whether he remembered his name, though?"

"I think I've got an idea", said Takeo.

"I am afraid the dishes will have to wait tonight", said Takeo with a polite little bow.

"Because we have important business", Tao cut in before Frankenstein could react.

"Indeed", said Takeo and grabbed a surprised M-21 by the arm. "We really need to go for a drink now."

"Don't even think of declining", said Tao and pushed him towards the door. "And Principal", he added, just as the blonde had opened his mouth to speak. "It is in your own interest to have the school's guards work together in high spirits, right? This is socializing between co-workers. Don't interfere."

At that, Frankenstein closed his mouth and gave a small smile.

"An' then Kranz says: 'shaddup, Shark! Tis talk fer people with actual brains!'"

"Ahaha! Jus' like the way Yuri always rolled 'is eyes when Hammer said: 'What's for dinner?'!"

"Ha, though that guy always gave me the creeps", said Tao, raised his glass, started and realized it was empty.

"Hey! Can you bring us another round, pretty lady?", purred Takeo and winked at the waitress. She blushed deeply and nodded.

"Tch, always such a flirt!", grinned Tao.

"I'm nowhere near as popular with the ladies as M-21 here, right?", said Takeo and slapped the gray-haired man on the shoulder.

He flashed a feral grin and leaned back in his chair. "Well, there was this time when Pandora walked in on me in the shower, stripped down and was all 'my, such a cute beast' an' all..."

"And then?", asked Tao curiously.

"She kicked me out", replied M-21 and shrugged.

They broke out in peals of laughter. When the waitress brought their drinks, she received a round of three handsome smiles and hurried away, again blushing furiously.

"Ye know...", slurred Tao and squinted a bit at M-21, who was draining half of his glass in one go. "I never thought a lowly agent like you could quaff on a level with me."

"Ha", said M-21 and brought his glass down hard. "Ye can never compare to _my_ metabolism!"

"An' then I said to him...", began Takeo. They never found out what he had said because his head hit the table with a loud thunk and he had instantly fallen asleep, his hand still clutching the glass.

The other two looked at him and gave him a pitiful shake of their heads before they resumed their conversation.

"Aw, he's all looks an' no substance", said Tao with a leisurely gesture. "What's this business with your names, anyway?"

"We promised each other we'd find them" answered M-21 and drew patterns on the table with spilled alcohol. "Back then when there was only M-24 and me. Sheesh, now it's only me, the traitor, left."

"Traitor?", inquired Tao, took a large gulp and had to steady himself on the edge of the table.

"Nobody forced _me_ to be there", spat M-21. "I was just a shitty brat who wanted power."

"An' you know the others did not?", asked Tao.

M-21 stared at him with a slightly unfocused gaze and tried to find a perspective where there was only one Tao looking back.

"How should I?", he said. "We didn't remember anything."

"So they might as well have done similar things", said Tao and raised his hands. "Why make yourself miserable 'bout it? Look at poor Jin-Sang: he was a rapist and a murderer. Whatever you did is child's play against him. But did he sulk around like ye? No! He grabbed his chance by the neck an' did his best! Now get your grip together and finally get in the pants of that cute doctor. I know ye been wantin' to shag her for ages!"

M-21 drained his glass and grinned. "Actually, I already did", he drawled.

"Holy shit!", cursed Tao. He stood up and waved at the waitress. "Let's pay up and take this whimp home. And on the way you're gonna tell me all the juicy details!"

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**Note: **I always doubt whether I have a knack for those drunken scenes. Was it alright? Review please!


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **There won't be an update this weekend since I go LARPing. If you're lucky, I might upload a chapter before friday, though. In the meantime, enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 31: Depression**

_Symptoms of a depression are not only a downcast mood or suicide fantasies but also lack of drive going as far as staying in bed most of the day. A few anti-depressive drugs were taken from the market because they restored drive before improving the mood, resulting in a higher rate of suicides. There might also be a narrowing of thoughts, focusing on recurring themes of guilt and lack of self-esteem. Patients are seldom motivated to seek help themselves, thus making it harder to overcome the depression. Anti-depressive drugs are no long-scale solution, since they come with a lot of side-effects and take several weeks until their effect is noticeable. _

The pack was hunting. Their pray was still some distance away, but it was getting slower. He could smell its fear. Instinct told him how to move. Everything seemed crystal clear. There was no doubt, no choices. Just the hunt. His pulse hammered in his ears, strong and evenly. He ran. The ground was hard and cold, but he could run many miles on it without growing weary.

The prey was very near now. He could hear its panting breaths, its hasty faltering steps. Everyone was in position, they would charge any moment now. The wind changed direction and brought with it a smell that told them they were not the only hunters. They had been tracked down.

M-21 woke with cold sweat on his brow. He sighed softly and closed his eyes again. It had seemed so real, especially the smell of blood.

His pulse raced and crimson patterns danced behind his closed eyelids. A part of him felt bereft of the excitement he had felt moments ago. A part of him had longed not only to smell but to taste the blood of his prey.

Hyun Ae stared at the ceiling and listened to her own breathing. Every breath a blessing that she had not earned. The seconds ticked away uncounted.

She could not muster up the strength to raise. The phone and the doorbell had rung several times. While she had first ignored them on purpose, she barely noticed them now. Before she had fallen asleep from exhaustion, she had paced her apartment, unable to find something to occupy herself with. She had felt an aversion to everything that came to mind and while she was long tired of pacing, she could find nothing else that felt worth doing.

Her thoughts were circling around her feelings of self-loathing and guilt. It took her an enormous effort to wrench her mind away even for a moment and as soon as she did not concentrate with all her might, her negative thoughts sneaked in again and poisoned any idea that had formed in her mind.

She had given up resisting and let herself be washed away by all the horrible reproaches that had piled up in the last months.

_Why did I even join the Organization? It had seemed such a good idea back then. It had seemed as if it was the only way. I did not know of the Principal's laboratory. It might have changed it all. He tried to hold me back, did he not? Had I not foolishly insisted to 'be of use', things would be different now. My selfish craving for recognition has cost lives. Never shall I call myself a doctor again. I cannot be trusted with positions of responsibility. I cannot be trusted at all. I nearly killed M-21, too. I never even apologized. How can I live with myself?_

"So she hasn't been to work either?", asked Bae, half-disbelieving, half-taken aback.

Frankenstein shook his blonde head and regarded the other man with apparent worry.

"I called her several times, but she never answered the phone", he said.

"Me too", sighed Bae. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Would you agree that it is justified to escalate our means?"

"I guess so", replied Frankenstein, a hint of curiousness in his voice.

"I shall drag her back out into the sun, then", said Bae and pushed his glassed up with determination. "By her hair, if I need to."

"Good luck", said Frankenstein, before the door closed behind the laboratory owner.

"Ain't that this friend of Doctor Choi's?", asked Tao and nudged Takeo.

"Yes", he answered and cringed his brows. "Doctor Kim was his name?"

"Wonder what business he had with the Principal", said Tao, slowly walking on.

"Guess he's as worried as we are", pondered Takeo. His gaze swept over to M-21, who had stayed silent like most of the time. "You know, I think she would listen to you at least."

M-21 gazed at him wordlessly. Just when Takeo had concluded that he would not answer, he turned his head away and mumbled: "She's better off without me. I'd only make matters worse."

"Geez!", made Tao and threw up his arms. "Will you ever shut up with your self-loathing? If you paint the future black then that's how it's going to be. Against common knowledge smiling doesn't hurt, you know?"

"Sorry that my world doesn't consist of zeros and ones, you airhead!", M-21 snapped back. "It's not as easy as you think."

"Stop it, you two", said Takeo exasperated and forced himself between them. "Tao, just let him be. He'll come around once he feels like it. And you M-21, please refrain from insulting him. He just wants to help."

He held up his hands before the others could start to speak. "I know what you want to say: Shut the hell up, smartass. Go ahead, I don't mind, I just think it's a waste of time to bicker like this. We're comrades, after all."

To this the other two had nothing to say. The three trudged on in silence. But it was of the comfortable kind.

Bae hesitated. He weighed the key in his hand. It felt cool and heavy.

_Is it really all right to do this?_, he asked himself. _Am I not intruding into her private space? Should I wait until she makes a move herself? What if she harmed herself? But if she just needs some time alone to figure things out? What to do?_

He thought again of the Principal's worried face. Then he remembered the kids he had met on his way from the office. He had seen them at the Principal's house before.

_'Do you know where Doctor Choi is, Ajussi?', the red-haired boy had asked._

_'Is she okay?', one of the girls added quickly. _

He had been wrecked by their disappointed looks when he could not tell them any news.

That gave him the little shove he had needed. He put the key in the lock and turned it.

Bae pushed the door slowly open and let himself in. The air smelt stale as if it had not been moved for a long time. Panic seized him.

"Hyun Ae, are you there?", he called.

The small rooms swallowed his voice quickly. He stood rooted to the spot, barely breathing, straining his ears to hear the slightest sound.

He jumped when the door fell shut behind him.

"'m here", came at last a small voice.

Bae nearly tripped in his hurry to take off his shoes. He skidded through the short corridor on his socks and stepped into the bedroom.

Hyun Ae lay under the covers, staring up to the ceiling. When he entered, she briefly raised her head.

"That you, Bae?", she inquired.

"Yes, it's me", he affirmed and came over to sit on the edge of the mattress. He jumped up again immediately after he saw her unhealthy complexion.

"You're getting up _right now_!", he said firmly and pulled her up by her arms against her weak protest. "You look like you weren't up for days. Smells like that, too."

He marched her into the kitchen and placed her in a chair. After searching in the cupboards for a minute, he produced tea and cups and made to brew a pot. Hyun Ae watched him silently, her eyes a bit glassy, the shadows under them a deep shade of gray.

"Why're you here, anyway?", she mumbled after some time.

Bae whirled around from the stove where he had been handling the teapot.

"Why I am here, you ask?", he repeated with a strained voice, barely refraining from shouting. "You shut yourself up here not coming out for days, not answering the phone and have everyone worried sick about you, and you really dare to ask me why I'd come for you?"

"Sorry", muttered Hyun Ae, hanging her head.

"You'd better be", said Bae sharply and placed the steaming tea between them on the table with a hint more force than necessary. His expression grew milder when he settled down across from her and poured the tea.

"Drink up, Hyun Ae", he said softly. "I bet you are so dehydrated you can barely stand. You should know better than to let yourself go like that."

"I should have known many things better", answered Hyun Ae bitterly, sipping her tea. "Yet that did not help me doing the right thing."

"It is unhealthy to ponder over past choices like that", said Bae. "Learn from your mistakes, but then move on."

Hyun Ae shook her head. When she looked up to her friend, her eyes were filled with bleak despair. "I cannot forget what I did. I cannot forgive myself. You don't understand, Bae, you are a good person... "

"So are you!", he interrupted. "I know now why you always had this aversion to surgery: you simply cannot accept that a mistake you made without meaning to resulted in the death of a patient. Why would you be a bad person? You did not wish for him to die, did you? Instead you tried your best to help him live. His destiny had been sealed the moment he entered that accursed facility. He was to die, the only question was when and what he would do until then. I take it that he was happy with his choice. I take it that he was content when he passed away. What more is there to give? We all will die someday, Hyun Ae. What we did before will give our life meaning. If you let yourself be paralyzed by your guilt you will never get the chance to make it up again. You are young, Hyun Ae. There are many people out there who may need your help. And your friends need you, too. You know, those kids from your school were asking where you were. You should have seen their faces. They miss you, Hyun Ae. _I_ miss you! The old Hyun Ae who would always see the best in people and delighted in her job. Please tell me you haven't cast that part of you aside forever!"

"I'm sorry, Bae", said Hyun Ae softly. The ghost of a smile flashed over her face. "It's been quite long since I've last seen you like this. How have I earned a friend like you? I'll try, Bae, I promise. I'll try for you and your honest concern and for the kids and the others. It might take a long time to become the old Hyun Ae again. I might never quite master it. But I'll try."

Bae answered her sad little smile with a relieved one. He took a gulp of his now lukewarm tea.

"That was easier than I feared", he said. "Thank god you are a sensible person, Hyun Ae. But I hope you won't mind if I keep your spare key a little longer."

"No problem, Bae", replied the woman with a broader smile. "I trust you."

* * *

**Note: **A rather subdued chapter, but a necessary one, I guess. Tell me what you think.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **As promised, a new chapter before the weekend. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 32: Hunters**

"I get _un sentiment mal_", remarked Henri de Coreanus and looked up from the newspaper he had been reading.

Cassia threw him a questioning glance. Both jumped at a knock on the window. A shadow was lurking outside.

Henri let out a nearly inaudible sigh.

"_En retard_. You better open the window, Cassia, _ma chère_."

The blond woman obligingly walked over to the window and threw it open. A smiling man sat on the sill and jumped in gracefully. Two smaller shadows followed him.

"Cruor!", said Henri and stood up after neatly folding the newspaper. "You honor us with your presence? And for what reason, if I may ask, did you bring the twins?"

"Aunt Cassia!", the two black-haired boys exclaimed in one voice and ran over to her.

She ruffled their hair affectionately, but her eyes rested on the other man and they were not exactly friendly.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, his growth similar to Alan's although he was much younger. Red hair covered his head and chin. He regarded Henri with a mix of earnest joy and vigilance.

"I came to inquire after you, Henri, Cassia", he said and gave a small bow to each of them. "Have you found Alan yet?"

"Indeed we have", said Cassia before Henri could speak. She chuckled at his open-mouthed surprise. "And yet we did not", she added. "Can I get you something to drink? The journey was quite long, wasn't it?"

A look of annoyance slid over Cruor's face. "Speak clearly", he demanded angrily. "If you found Alan, why isn't he with you?"

"Alan is dead", said Henri. He took the younger man by the arm and guided him over to the sitting group. "But we found who you could think of as his heir."

"So he had a brat with one of his many affairs?", asked Cruor with contempt. He settled down on the sofa and crossed his arms.

"You misunderstand", stated Henri and sat down himself. "The man I am talking of is no child of Alan's. He bears his heart."

"Literally", added Cassia who just reentered the room with a tablet of drinks and some sandwiches.

"How?", asked the red-head confused.

"He is a human who has been experimented upon", replied Henri. "They transplanted him Alan's heart. He has all his memories. And with time, he will wield Alan's strength."

Cruor's face twitched. "Some weak human? And you speak of Alan's heir? Don't make me laugh!"

"Hmph", made Cassia. "Afraid you will never become leader now, huh?"

Cruor gritted his teeth. He made to say something, but quickly closed his mouth again at a glare from Henri. He took a sandwich instead and munched it in silence.

"Where is that human now?", he asked finally.

"Don't tell him, Henri!", said Cassia hurriedly. "Nothing good will come of it."

The red-haired man looked from one to the other. As it became clear that they would not speak, he stood up at once.

"Fine", he snarled. "I don't need your help. Nox, Noceo, we're leaving!"

The boys gave a synchronized sigh and stood up.

"Thanks for the drinks and food", said Nox.

"Bye, Aunt Cassia", said Noceo.

"See you, Uncle Henri", said both in eerie unison.

They left the way they had come. A cold gust of night wind stayed behind.

"You shouldn't have told him of M-21", said Cassia as she shut the window.

Henri rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Then he shook his head.

"He would have found out eventually", he replied. "It is better this way. So he knows where we stand. He won't do anything rash."

"I hope so", said Cassia. "I took a liking to that man, you know."

"What is it?", asked Takeo as M-21 raised his head and sniffed the air.

"Nothing", mumbled the gray-haired man and shook his head. "Sometimes I imagine to smell Doctor Choi on the school grounds."

"Looks like it's not your imagination today", said Tao and pointed the the window of the doctor's ward. Shadows were moving behind it and sharp eyes could see that one was that of a slender woman.

M-21 gazed up towards the window in disbelief. Then an expression of deep relief showed on his face for a moment.

"Is that a smile I see?", asked Tao grinning. "You should definitely greet her later!"

"Ah...", said M-21. His smile faded a little. "Since I was planning on staying away from her I don't think that's a good idea."

"And your reason for that was _what exactly_?", asked Tao. Takeo only rolled his eyes and shrugged.

They would have bickered some more had it not been for the sudden appearance of a pair of black-haired boys.

The two walked casually through the gate and headed straight towards them. When they came nearer, it became obvious that not only their height was similar but that they were identical twins. Two young faces with exactly the same calm expression, regarding them through four dark brown eyes felt vaguely disturbing.

"Alan's heir?", asked a voice. All three jumped. The twins had spoken as one, resulting in a voice that seemed somehow more vivid than normal sound.

"Are you speaking of Alan of the Coreanus Tribe?", asked M-21.

"What's it with you and those weird people all the time?", whispered Tao.

Takeo cracked a smile at that, but a moment's notice later his gun was pointing at the head of another stranger that had suddenly appeared amongst them.

"And who might you be?", inquired Takeo in a polite voice.

A tall red-haired man stared into the muzzle, a bit baffled. He was still crouching on the ground since he had jumped down from the roof of the neighboring building. Very slowly, he straightened up.

"You're slow, Uncle Cruor", said the boys.

"Are you related?", asked Takeo. He did not move an inch. Tao had taken position between him and M-21, ready to attack either the twins or the red-haired man, whoever moved first.

"We're family, if that's what you mean", replied Cruor. "Would you mind taking that down? Guns make me pretty nervous."

"We came weaponless", said the twins.

"That's a lie", stated M-21 calmly. "You bear weapons wherever you go. Still, take the gun down, Takeo. They have no hostile intention right now."

"Oh-ho!", grinned Cruor, visibly relaxing after the firearms were gone. "I did not expect that much insight from a measly human. But perhaps you're just a good guesser?"

"Are you of the Coreanus Tribe?", asked M-21, ignoring the taunt. "I don't remember you."

"We never met Master Alan in person", said the eerie stereo-voice. "Yet he was our official leader until we had clarity. Since Henri and Cassia put their trust in you, it is likely that you will become the new leader."

"Not if I can help it", muttered Cruor through gritted teeth. "You'll have to prove yourself worthy first, human!"

"I am neither interested in becoming your leader nor in petty 'tests of worthiness'", stated M-21 coldly. "If you will excuse us now, we have work to do."

He turned away from the three. When Cruor gripped him by the sleeve, he whirled around at once and gave him an angry glare.

"Don't touch me!", he snarled.

Cruor ducked his head for a second instinctively, but then seemed to realize what he was doing and straightened up again. His red beard seemed to bristle with fury.

"I don't care whether you're interested or not, human!", he growled. "If Alan's heart beats in your weak chest, you have to bear the responsibility that comes with it. That includes facing your own tribe."

"I...", began M-21, but interrupted himself when hasty steps neared them.

"Is something the matter?", said a woman's voice.

They turned around to see Doctor Choi approaching them with a worried expression. She was clutching her emergency bag. A shy smile slid over her face as she looked at M-21.

He stared at her in surprise.

"Doctor Choi", he said. A hint of tenderness carried with this formal address. Then he closed his eyes. When he reopened them, his face was expressionless. "This is none of your concern. Please return to the ward. It is our duty as guards to handle those things."

It pained him to see the hurt look in her eyes before she turned around and walked away without another word. _It's for the best, _he thought. _It's for the best._

"Either way", said Cruor angrily. "I don't think you're fit to lead the Coreanus Tribe. And let me warn you: don't get in my way!" He turned on his heel and stalked away towards the gates.

"We must agree that you are not fit to be a leader", said the twins. "Yet. You do not know yourself, heir of Master Alan's heart. Without your past self, there will be neither present nor future."

"You coming, Nox, Noceo?", called Cruor from the entrance.

The two boys made to follow him. With a last glance back, they added: "Who do you _want_ to be?"

"Like I said", remarked Tao. "Weird people."

"You should apologize to Doctor Choi", said Takeo to M-21.

"No", replied the gray-haired man. "What I said is true. I would not want her involved in my problems. She deserves better."

"It's that 'bad guy attitude' again!", sighed Tao. "How old-fashioned are you? The girls nowadays are burning for a hint of sin."

"I agree", said Takeo. "I mean, it's not as if you're some criminal who dragged...her down...oh. That was...Let me start again."

M-21 shook his head. "I know you mean well, but just give it a rest already", he said. "Let's just get on with work, alright?"

* * *

**Note:**

_un sentiment mal_ - a bad feeling

_En retard_ - Too late

_ma chère_ - my dear

Since it will be important later on, I state here that Doctor Choi did not clearly see the three werewolves during this visit.

Well, tell me what you think?


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **I really wanted to put this up days ago, but I'm still plagued by the infection my niece gifted me with. Anyway, here it is.**  
**

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**Chapter 33: Mirror neurons**

_Certain areas of the brain contain specially linked neurons that are called 'mirror neurons'. Those cells are thought to be the reason that laughter is so infectious or that we cry when somebody else is sad. They allow us to tune in on the mood of the person we are currently interacting with and are an important part of social behavior. They might also be an answer to the question why we feel the irresistible urge to yawn when someone else does._

The sun was still up when Hyun Ae left work. The air was mild and smelled of spring. It was a nice evening that she would have enjoyed in the past. Yet this was the present and things had changed.

_He did not even smile, _she thought sadly and walked out through the gates, her gaze cast down. _What did I expect? I was still in shock when I talked to him last. I have no clue what is going on in his head. Perhaps Cassia was right. Perhaps he is no person to be loved...?_

On her way home she remembered that she did not have any palatable food since she had not been out of her flat for days. She turned towards the next supermarket.

Inside, she immersed herself in shopping, lost in her thoughts, pondering what she should cook during the week. She was just reaching for the last package of her favorite noodles when a bigger hand closed around it and snatched it away. She pulled back her hand and suppressed a sigh.

"Ah, sorry, did you want that?", asked the stranger that had taken it. His speech had an accent and he looked every part a foreigner.

"Yes", nodded Hyun Ae, half-preparing for a taunt now.

"Actually, I only chose it because it seems to be popular", said the man, grinning sheepishly. "I haven't been here for long and I always have a hard time deciding what might be tasty."

"You chose well, then", said Hyun Ae, cheering up a bit, since he seemed to be nice after all. "Those are very good. They are my favorite."

"Ah, take them then", the foreigner hurried to say and put the package in her hands. "I'll take some other one. Um...maybe you could help me choose?"

He smiled at her pleadingly and Hyun Ae could not help but smile back. She noticed that his eyes were of a green so light that it was almost yellow.

"What were you planning to make?", she asked.

"Some dish with beef and vegetables...Japchae it is called, I think?", he replied.

"I would recommend those then", said Hyun Ae, pointing at a package to the left.

When Hyun Ae left the supermarket her mood was a bit better. The encounter with the red-haired foreigner had taken her mind off gloomy things. She walked home with new vigor and a healthy appetite.

She did not realize that a pair of pale green eyes was intently watching her until she disappeared inside.

"**_Prends le porte, s'il te plaît_**", said Henri exasperated while he closed the window. "Anyway, take a seat."

Cruor settled down on the sofa and put his feet on the table. After a sharp look and a soft growl from Cassia, he hurriedly put them down again.

"You look happy", said Cassia warily. "Did you find him?"

"He doesn't even want to be the leader", replied Cruor. "I have no clue what you see in him. He is weak and snappish." He made a casual gesture. "Seems I was worried over nothing."

"Tch", made Cassia. "You're inexperienced in judging people, Cruor. And do tell me what you want with us, exactly?"

"It's those two who wanted to talk to you", answered Cruor, pointing to the twins.

"We have not interest to be involved in Uncle Cruor's plans anymore", the boys said.

"Might we ask you...", began Nox.

"...to let us stay with you for a while?", finished Noceo.

"_Bien sûr_", replied Henri. "If you grow tired of our company, we might convince Frankenstein to let you visit his school for the time being."

"That would be marvelous!", the twins said earnestly.

"Good morning!", said the two boys politely and bowed. "We are..."

"Nox", said the one on the right and winked,

"and Noceo", said the one on the left with a smile.

"Nice to meet you", they concluded in unison.

"Kyaa, twins, so cute!", whispered the girls. "And they speak synchronized, way cool!"

So the two black-haired boys attended freshman classes at Ye Ran High School. They sat side by side, backs straight, attentively listening to the teacher. When they worked they passed silent smiles and meaningful looks as if they could read each others' minds and were laughing about jokes only the two of them knew about.

Between classes they patiently answered the other kids' curious questions.

"We're half Chinese", replied Noceo to an inquiry after their home country. "It's been some time since we've been to Korea."

"Who's the elder twin?", asked a small girl with giant glasses.

"Me, of course", said Nox and grinned. "Can't you tell?" A round of laughs followed and the break was soon over.

After the next class, the two of them managed to slip away and wandered across the court by themselves, talking in low voices and sniffing the air.

They were walking around the far end of the soccer field when they heard a strange sound from the right. Curious, they glanced around the corner of a building and saw a small boy trying to reach the branch of a tree standing near the wall.

"What are you doing?", they asked in unison.

The boy jumped and turned around. There were tear streaks on his face although he showed a fierce expression of anger. He hurriedly wiped at his eyes.

"Nothing", he mumbled and turned away.

"Doesn't look like nothing to me", said Nox and glanced at the tree. A school bag was wedged into a crotch.

"Want us to help you, Dong-Sun?", asked Noceo.

The boy's head whipped around and he stared at him surprised. "How d'you know my name?"

"We were introduced this morning", answered Noceo. "We should know the names of our classmates, right?"

"Uh, yeah", said the boy reluctantly. He looked up to the bag. Then he made up his mind.

"A pair of bullies stole my bag and threw it in the tree. I can't reach and classes are starting soon", he said.

Nox eyed the tree for a moment.

"Give me a lift, Noceo", he said.

"Sure", smiled his twin and folded his hands. Nox put his foot on and launched himself up in one smooth movement. He got hold of a low branch and hung there for a second. He swung back and forth and let go at the right moment to get to a higher branch. Soon he was balancing towards the crotch.

"Catch!", he called to Dong-Sun and threw the bag down. The blink of an eye later, he was on the ground again, too.

"Wow, you're awesome!", exclaimed Dong-Sun.

"It's a secret, but we used to be circus artists", whispered Noceo. "Don't tell the others."

"Sure", said the boy with gleaming eyes. "Thank you. See you in class!"

When he was gone, Noceo rolled his eyes at his twin.

"Show-off", he mumbled.

"Couldn't resist", grinned Nox and they continued walking back to their class, smiling identical smiles.

* * *

**Note:**

_Prends le porte, s'il te plaît_ - Please take the door

_Bien sûr_ - Of course

Yeah, it's kind of a filler, I hope you liked it nonetheless. Review!


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Since things are finally moving for my dissertation, I can allow myself to update today already. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**  
**

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**Chapter 34: Taste**

_As one of the basic senses, taste is the one people tend to think of as the most unimportant. Only when we lose our taste do we realize how much quality of life is connected with distinguishing between different food. So far there are five known basic types of receptors for taste: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and protein or umami. Against past knowledge those receptors are not limited to certain areas of the tongue, but are scattered across it in form of various taste buds. Taste is also closely tied to our sense of smell. Without the ability to smell, most of our taste is taken away. Keep in mind that the ability to sense that something tastes bitter saved our ancestors' lives countless times._

"Hello, Miss!", said a voice behind Hyun Ae.

She turned around and looked into the face of the red-haired foreigner.

"Oh, it's you again", she said surprised. "Were the noodles good?"

"Sure they were", smiled the man. "Thank you again for the great advice." He paused and looked hesitant. "Um...", he began.

"What is it?", asked Hyun Ae curiously.

"I wondered whether it would be too daring to invite you out?", he said, his cheeks reddening slightly. Looking at her startled face he immediately lifted his hands in apology. "Sorry, I didn't want to embarrass you, that was too straight-forward. Forget what I said..."

At that, Hyun Ae smiled. "Why not?", she said shrugging. "When?"

"You...? Oh! Ah, whenever you have time", he stammered.

"How about tomorrow evening?", proposed Hyun Ae. "You can pick me up at the parking lot here at six o'clock."

"Sure", he beamed. "I'll see you then!" He walked down the aisle with a happy spring in his steps.

_Why did I accept suddenly?, _Hyun Ae asked herself, looking after him. _He's a complete stranger. Am I trying to get back at M-21 for ignoring me? That would be ridiculous. It's not as if he cares about my private life anyway. This foreigner just seems interesting. And I don't even know his name! Well why not do something daring for a change._

Hyun Ae's heart beat loudly when she walked from her flat to the supermarket the next evening. She wore a simple black dress that went down to her knees and a light belted coat over it. Her dark hair fell open over her shoulders. The only thing that lent her some color was the deep red of her shoes that would have matched her eyes had she not worn contact lenses.

The foreigner was already waiting and waved to her as soon as she came into sight. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with rolled up sleeves and black trousers. A big grin spread on his face as she approached.

"And here I thought you wouldn't come", he said.

"Ah, sorry", apologized Hyun Ae blushing. "Did you wait long?"

"Just a few minutes and I was too early, anyway", he replied. "Shall we get going?"

Hyun Ae nodded and followed him across the parking lot.

"I hope you don't mind walking", he said. "It's not that far."

"I don't", said Hyun Ae. "My name is Hyun Ae Choi, by the way."

"I didn't even introduce myself!", the red-haired man exclaimed in shock. "My, I'm really messing this up, huh? You can call me Cruor, Miss Choi."

"A curious name", commented Hyun Ae, before she could stop herself. At the man's questioning look she explained, "It means 'blood' in Latin. Didn't you know?"

He shook his head and laughed. "Since I don't know Latin, I didn't. How come you speak Latin?"

"I'm a doctor", answered Hyun Ae. "I work at Ye Ran High School here in town."

"I think I saw a sign", said Cruor. "It's around here somewhere, isn't it?"

"Yes", nodded Hyun Ae, already regretting having mentioned it. With a thought of the school, immediately M-21's face came to mind.

"We're here!", announced Cruor and opened the door to a small restaurant. He froze upon entering and took a few deep breaths until he continued walking. Hyun Ae was surprised at this behavior for a moment, but brushed it off as unimportant seconds later.

She had a lot of fun this evening. Cruor had an open-minded and bright personality and when he grinned, as he often did, his whole face lit up. Soon Hyun Ae had forgotten all about the Organization, Noblesse and werewolves and she felt like a normal single woman on a date. She found herself wondering why things could not always be as easy. Then her mind was back on M-21 and she knew that things just were not that simple.

She smiled gratefully after Cruor had accompanied her home.

"Thank you for the wonderful evening", she said.

"Thank you for gracing me with your company", he replied with a smile. "Will you accept again if I ask you some other time?"

"I might", said Hyun Ae.

"You made me very happy tonight", he said with his deep voice and suddenly his face was very near.

Hyun Ae's heart jumped, but for the flash of a moment she saw another face close up and gray eyes were staring at her instead of green ones. She made a step back.

"I am sorry", she said. "I do not want to deceive you, Cruor. I already have someone I like."

For a moment she imagined that a hint of anger passed over the man's face, but then he looked only crushed.

"Ah...", he said. "I see. But the fact that you went out with me means that he is not with you right now, doesn't it?"

"That's true", answered Hyun Ae.

At that, a mischievous grin appeared on Cruor's face. "That means I still stand a chance. I won't give up on you so easily! Good night, Miss Choi."

All of a sudden he kissed her squarely on the lips, flashed a grin and walked away with long strides. Hyun Ae stood in front of her door, flustered. After a moment she shook her head and went inside.

"Please tell me about this human", said Cruor.

"Why would you suddenly want that?", asked Cassia suspiciously.

"Would you believe me if I said I've become interested in him?", drawled Cruor and leaned back on the couch. He made a mock innocent face but dropped the act after a moment. "I want to challenge him to a hunt. I need to have some info on him to choose a worthy prey."

"_Une chasse_?", repeated Henri. "I would advise against it. This is a tightly populated area, people might become involved unintentionally."

"It's a traditional way to test the pack leader", said Cruor, a bit miffed. "I read up on it. Master Alan did it, too."

"Alan loved to hunt, that much is true", said Cassia, staring off into the distance as if she had been reminded of a far off memory. She blinked and focused on Cruor again. "But M-21 is not Alan. He will surely disapprove."

"That is why I need to find a fitting prey", insisted Cruor. "Help me already! If this works out I promise I won't nag you anymore and I will accept this human without any further argument."

"Sounds tempting", said Cassia with a smirk.

"_Donnes-moi ta parole_ as a tribe member that it will be a fair hunt and that you won't involve innocent humans", said Henri strictly.

"Sure", nodded Cruor and sat up straight. "Now go ahead, I'm listening!"

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**Note: **

_Une chasse_? - A hunt?

_Donnes-moi ta parole_ - Give me your word

Well, again a lot of talk and no action. I promise it gets better with the next chapter^^. Please review!


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **So I'm back to a rather normal posting schedule. Thanks again to all my kind reviewers, especially Tiggipi who reviews nearly every chapter! Now enjoy the newst one.**  
**

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**Chapter 35: Beast of prey**

"Stop hiding already!", growled M-21.

Tao and Takeo looked around in confusion. They had been on their way home from work and were only two streets away from the Principal's house.

The red-haired man from two weeks ago landed with a soft thud behind them. He looked a bit disappointed in himself.

"I want to talk to you, human", said Cruor, and with a look at his comrades, added: "Alone."

"Fine", said M-21 exasperated. "Go on, you two. I'll be with you in a minute."

"But...", began Tao. Scowling, he let himself be pulled away by Takeo.

M-21 turned fully around to the werewolf and crossed his arms. He examined the man closely. His nose twitched. There was something wrong...there was a smell he should recognize, but it was too faint to be sure.

"I challenge you to a hunt", stated Cruor. He smirked at the puzzled expression on the other man's face.

M-21 frowned. "Why should I accept such a ridiculous request?", he asked.

Cruor's face twitched. "Ridiculous?", he snarled. "You know nothing of our traditions, do you? You look down on me with your human aloofness, thinking you are better than us, right? You should be grateful that I didn't challenge you to a duel, but chose a more honorable option. If you win, I will accept you as a leader, should you ever claim that title. That means I will obey your commands."

"So if I tell you to be off, you will be?", inquired M-21.

"Exactly", said Cruor.

M-21 pondered the thought for a moment, then he turned to go. "If I keep ignoring you, it will have the same effect eventually. I have no interest in your games", he said calmly.

"Even if the prey is someone from a certain organization?", asked Cruor.

M-21 whirled around. The red-haired man held up a mobile phone. It looked ordinary and inconspicuous, but M-21 would have recognized it everywhere. He had once possessed a similar one himself. The stench of a facility clung to it: disinfectant, blood, sweat and a smell that was impossible to describe, but that was linked irrevocably to the organization in his mind.

"How did you obtain this item?", hissed M-21, prowling nearer.

Cruor retreated a few steps involuntarily. He stuffed the mobile back into his pocket.

"Our prey dropped it", he said.

"Where is it?", demanded M-21.

A grin spread on Cruor's face. "Follow me", he said.

M-21 was furious. _Who does this mongrel think he is?, _he thought, balling his fists. _I'll wring his sorry neck. _

Cruor was leading him to the outskirts of the city, through the industry quarter and eventually under the trees of a large strip of woody land. He did not stop running, half fueled by fear what M-21 might do if he caught him, half for the sport of it.

Then M-21 caught the smell. Disinfectant, blood, sweat, and the organization's scent: a stench of misery and illness. It was far ahead and almost impossible to trace. He sped up, dodging tree trunks, jumping over low shrubbery.

Cruor lifted his head and sniffed. He had imagined it would be easier since he had been the first to find the prey. But it had moved a great deal and it seemed that the human's sense of smell was not half bad. He struggled to keep pace with him.

_I didn't want to play this card so early, _he thought with an inward sigh. Then he transformed.

A large wolf with reddish-brown fur broke through the trees. Its ears twitched to and fro in an effort to catch the lightest of footsteps. The wet snout inhaled the scents of the forest. Soft paws hit the ground with the rhythm of a racing heart.

M-21 had forgotten about the other man. He had forgotten everything. All that existed in his mind was the burning desire to catch the owner of this scent. One of them was out there. The smell of blood clung to him. One of the people who had done unspeakable things to his comrades. Who had done those things to him. Was still doing them to others right now.

He was running. Faster, faster than his hammering pulse. Branches and brambles slashed over his face and hit his shins. Nothing mattered. There was no pain. Only the will to catch the prey.

He did not realize that he was slicing his way with sharp claws, that he was snarling, baring his fangs.

The prey was near. He could hear its panting breath. It knew that it was being hunted. It was tired. The steps faltered now and then. The stench of sweat and fear was nauseating. A large wolf appeared before him. With two large steps it was behind him. He was almost there. Almost...

M-21 broke through the trees into a large clearing. In the light of the moon the white lab coat of his prey momentarily blinded his eyes. A wave of hatred washed over him. The wish to spill its filthy blood became unbearable. He charged and the feeling of ecstasy as he sunk his teeth into the flesh of his prey and felt hot blood fill his mouth was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

His ears rang. It took him a long moment to realize that it was because of the screams. Horrified, he let go.

The man clutched at his neck. Blood gushed forth and spilled through the shaking fingers. A pair of blue eyes stared up to him in terror. Then their expression changed.

"M-21?", choked the man. "Is that you? It's me, Edward Turgo."

M-21 froze. Very slowly his mind tried to wrap around he idea that he had just hunted down and likely injured critically, Doctor Turgo.

"Impossible", he whispered hoarsely. "Turgo looked totally different."

"The wonders of cosmetic surgery and hair dye", said Eddie with a crooked smile. "Don't tell Hyun Ae", he added hastily between large gulps for air. "She'll hate you. But in fact it ...was ...good that..."

His voice died away and his hands twitched. He blinked furiously as if to stay awake, but his eyes dropped shut and his body relaxed.

"Turgo!", called M-21 in panic and shook him. "Wake up! I never..."

The words stuck in his throat as he remembered his feelings during the hunt. He looked down on his bloody hands. There was a bitter taste in his mouth.

He jumped at a clapping sound. Cruor approached him with an irritated face, applauding sarcastically.

"Seems like you deserve the title of leader", he spat. "Let's get out of here."

M-21 nodded dimly. He threw a last glance back to Edward Turgo. Something shiny caught his eye. One hand had dropped during the act of pulling something out of the lab coat's pocket. He knelt down and carefully plucked it from the slack fingers. It was a complex metal square, a computer thing. Tao would know what to do with it. He slipped it under his shirt and went to follow Cruor.

Cruor was lying on the roof over Henri's and Cassia's flat and staring up to the waning moon. He had meant to ask the twins to accompany him back home, but something inside him did not want to leave yet.

He looked at the thing in his hand.

_'It's a tourniquet', _Hyun Ae Choi's voice said in his head. _'I have a ton of them. Take one, if you want.' A tingling laugh. 'Yes, I think the red one suits you best.'_

_At least once, _he thought. _I want to see her just one more time._

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**Note: **I killed off another character :(, though this death will have dire consequences. How do you think Doctor Choi will react once she finds out? Review!_  
_


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **New chapter's up. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 36: Deceit**

"I brought some groceries", said Cruor with a grin when Hyun Ae opened the door.

She made a surprised face that immediately changed into a smile and gestured for him to come in.

"How did you know I hadn't eaten yet?", she asked while he followed her into the kitchen.

"Men's instinct?", he ventured and put the bags down on the table.

They were soon laughing together, slicing up vegetables and frying meat in the sizzling pan. Hyun Ae was happy. She felt incredibly relaxed around the red-haired man. Yet today something dampened his joyful nature, only slightly, barely noticeable, but something was different than usual.

As they sat down to eat, Hyun Ae gathered her courage and asked straight out.

"Is something worrying you, Cruor?", she asked. "You seem different."

He munched thoughtfully and slowly, stalling for time. Finally, he swallowed and had to answer.

His light-green eyes searched for hers. A pleading, nearly desperate expression lay in them.

"I...", he began and swallowed again against the lump that had formed in his throat. "I think...I'm in love with you, Hyun Ae Choi."

Hyun Ae's eyes widened in shock for a moment. A gentle smile slid over her face, but was immediately chased away by distress.

"How shall I put it", she said reluctantly. "You are a great man, Cruor, and I like you very much and I enjoy your company. It's just..." She struggled for words. "There is always someone else on my mind. It just wouldn't be fair to you."

"_How's that being fair?", _he wanted to scream at her. But she looked so crushed and genuinely sorry that his anger focused on something else and a hideous idea formed in his head as he saw the evening newspaper, still folded and unread. Without thinking he grabbed it and began to speak.

"No", he mumbled and stared at the headline, apparently terrified. "I hoped I could just forget that."

"Forget what?", asked Hyun Ae, grateful for the change of topic and reached for the newspaper. She scanned the article.

'Bestial murder in the forest', the headline read.

"Hyun Ae, you're a doctor, are you not? I can tell you, right?", whispered Cruor, gone pale.

"Of course, you can tell me anything", replied Hyun Ae alarmed and bowed over the table to cover one of his big hands with her smaller one. "I won't tell anyone if you don't want it. Please, tell me!"

The food got cold as Cruor recounted how he had gone jogging in the forest by the industry quarter and heard strange noises. Curious, he had left the path and gone deeper into the woods. Through a gap between the trees he had seen a monster kill a man in a white coat.

"You must think I've gone crazy!", he cried desperately. "But I swear, the thing had gray fur and then, before my eyes, it changed into a man. And the victim... I heard him say that his name was Turgo and he said something like a code..., M-21, I think it was..."

Hyun Ae jumped up from her seat, her face drained of all color.

"Eddie and M-21, you say?", she gasped. "Don't lie!", she suddenly screamed, lunging at him.

He dodged and held up his hands in defense. "It's true, I swear", he pleaded. "I ran away as fast as I could and called the police. Read the article!"

She stopped and her gaze fell on the newspaper again.

'...victim apparently by the name of Doctor John Brown...', she read. '...as if attacked by wild animals...'

She could read no more as tears welled up in her eyes. She sank back into her chair and began sobbing uncontrollably. The loss of Eddie, the horrible betrayal of M-21. She could think of nothing else for a span of time that seemed like an eternity.

"Shush", made Cruor and patted her back. He yelped in surprise as she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly, burying her wet face against his chest.

"Hold me, please", she whispered. "You're the last thing that links me to normality. How can I stay sane without you now?"

Cruor complied and took her into his arms, gently kissing the top of her head. His heart pounded in his chest as her fingers crept under his shirt and he was overjoyed how things were turning out to his favor.

Still, as she kissed him with burning lips, there was something bitter to this triumph and he could not shake off a nagging feeling of unease.

The scents of the facility were fogging his head. Fury burned inside him, fueling his heavily pounding heart. The taste of blood in his mouth.

Edward Turgo lay on the white tiles, dead. Blood slowly made its way along the joints like stiff red tentacles.

"See how powerful I made you?", said a voice.

M-21 shivered. To his horror, he felt the fury rise and with it the desire to hunt down, to attack, to kill the owner of the voice mercilessly.

"How about a 'thank you'?", whispered Crombel into his ear. He slid one hand down his back. M-21 stood frozen in place. He was afraid of what he might do, should he move.

Crombel licked his neck. Disgust welled up inside of him. Still Turgo lay there, his unseeing eyes staring up to him with silent reproach. His nose twitched when the doctor grabbed his chin and forced his mouth open.

Something snapped inside him. He bit down on the flesh that invaded his mouth. Hot blood ran down his throat. Then everything vanished in a blur of violence. There was nothing left except the desire to kill, to kill in the most painful way possible.

With a wet thud, Crombel's corpse fell down beside Turgo. M-21 stood there, panting. Two pairs of unseeing eyes stared at him. He looked down on his stained body and realized that the part inside him that had lusted for blood was still not satisfied...

He awoke with a scream. On shaking legs he scrambled to the bathroom. The taste of blood was still in his mouth. It would not go away, no matter how many times he washed it out, no matter how hard he brushed his teeth.

He jumped heavily when a hand took hold of his arm. Two voices spoke from afar.

"The hell are you doing this hour of the night, M-21?", said the one who sounded like Takeo.

"What are you planning with the soap?", said the other one alarmed. "That's not for eating. Bad M-21!"

Someone took the soap from his hands. Someone turned him around and slapped him twice, hard.

He blinked. Takeo and Tao came into focus, both looking very sleepy and slightly annoyed.

"There's blood in my mouth", M-21 said dreamily.

Takeo and Tao changed a look and each took one of his arms. They marched him out of the bathroom.

"You'll take one of the Principal's nice pills now", said Takeo gently.

"And then you and everyone else will go to sleep and tomorrow we will talk about the blood", said Tao.

M-21 nodded slowly. In the back of his head he thought that his comrades might have said something similar. He corrected himself: those two here were his comrades now.

He swallowed when something was put into his mouth and trotted off towards his room obediently.

He slept like a stone the rest of the night.

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**Note: **What do you say? Review!


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **I'm back from a fun weekend and ready to post another chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**  
**

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**Chapter 37: Paralysis**

_Paralysis, the inability to move certain parts of the body, can have many reasons. One are damage to the muscles or bones themselves like fractures. There are also hereditary diseases e.g. muscle dystrophia by which muscle structure and function is damaged. Defects of the central nervous system can also cause paralysis. Most common are lesions to the spinal chord; if complete, the result is para- or tetraplegia. Illnesses of the brain like Parkinson's disease alter signal circuits responsible for movement. A lack of circulation by an acute embolism is another reason for paralysis. At last there are psychiatric maladies that may cause the patient to be unable to move. Paralysis always comes with a significant reduction of quality of life and should therefore be treated intensively in order to improve the patient's well-being._

"YOU!"

M-21 slowly turned around. He had known that this moment would come. He had been preparing himself, hardening himself against it. Yet the look of sheer hate in those brown eyes struck deep.

"I want to kill you so very much that I hate you all the more for it", said Hyun Ae, her voice trembling with barely contained emotions. "I believed in you, M-21. I overlooked every fault, every cruelty you committed. I was blind. I am no more. You are a monster, a killer who can never be anything else. You have no idea what you took from me. I never want to see you again."

She turned around and walked away in direction of the main building.

M-21 stood frozen and watched her go. He would have liked her to rage at him a little more. He would have gladly taken any insults had they but delayed that unavoidable time of parting for a fleeting moment.

Her hate was worse than Pandora's. To Pandora he had meant nothing but dirt. But Doctor Choi, he now realized, had hoped for him. She had hoped him a better person and he had disappointed her in the most terrible way.

"I'm sorry", he mumbled and lightly touched his scar. "For deceiving you."

"Takeo, M-21!", called Tao, jogging towards them at the end of their shift. While he approached, the other two could see the look of distress on his face.

"Bad news", he said as soon as he reached them. "Doctor Choi is quitting the job here. The Principal just told me."

Takeo stared at him in surprise while M-21 just threw him a bland look.

"You don't look shocked at all", observed Tao. "Did you already know?"

"She talked to me", said M-21 expressionless, already starting to walk towards the gate. The others hurried to follow him.

"What did she say?", asked Takeo.

"Nothing that I did not know already", replied M-21 in the same monotonous voice. "She never wants to see me again."

"Never...", mouthed Takeo.

"Why the heck?", said Tao. "You _did_ tell her you did not intend to kill Turgo, did you?"

"There was nothing else in my mind except the intention to kill him", answered M-21. "It is all true."

"You know, I really hate this defeatist attitude of yours, M-21", said Tao angrily.

"Not that again", mumbled Takeo and rolled his eyes.

"You know what?", said Tao and stopped walking. "I'll go talk to her myself right now. Since I can't trust you to say anything to your defense yourself, I'll do it in your place."

"You will only make matters worse", began Takeo, but the black-haired man cut him off at once.

"Is that so? Can matters get any worse than now?", he asked sarcastically. When no answer came, he turned around and walked away in direction of Doctor Choi's apartment.

M-21 did not seem to have noticed his absence. He stared blankly ahead, walking in a steady rhythm like a wind-up doll.

Takeo threw him a look, sighed silently and made to follow him.

Tao had been marching fast in his fury, but the nearer he came his aim, the slower his steps became. When the right building was in sight, he stopped altogether. It was a blindingly bright day and as he stared up into the sky to look at the clouds, he had to shield his eyes with one hand. The weather was most unfitting for misery, he felt. His eyes were drawn to the door.

_Was Takeo really wrong?, _he asked himself. _Can I make it even worse? Am I doing this the proper way? Should I just let them be? _He firmly shook his head. _They'll never come around by themselves. They need a proper push in the right direction._

Steeling himself for objection, he stepped up to the door and rang. It was a few minutes until he heard steps from inside and Hyun Ae opened.

Her face immediately slipped from mild surprise to cold aversion.

"Whatever you've got to say, I don't want to hear it", she said in a clipped voice and made to close the door.

But Tao was faster and had already pushed it farther open and was forcing her inside. His dark eyes fixed on her with stubborn determination.

"Whether you want to hear it or not", he said. "You will listen to what I have to say. I won't leave before I have said it."

Faced with no alternative as she did not want to fight him for real, Hyun Ae obliged and closed the door behind him.

Tao slipped off his shoes and nervously raked one hand through his hair while he followed her into the small kitchen. They sat down in silence until Hyun Ae remembered her manners and stood up hastily to make tea.

Tao, thankful for the short delay, tried to arrange his thoughts in the shape of good arguments. He gave it up after a while and decided to say what came into his head. He was a man of action rather than of contemplation, at least where nothing technical was concerned.

He took a sip of the fresh tea, burnt his tongue immediately, but succeeded in swallowing it anyway.

The charming smile he had meant to give the woman carried a trace of pain now.

"Is Edward Turgo's death truly the reason you broke with M-21?", asked Tao. "I never perceived you as the kind of egocentric person who would be indifferent to people dying unless they knew them personally."

"Already beginning with an insult?", snapped Hyun Ae.

To his surprise and grief, she sounded very much like Pandora and less like Doctor Choi.

"This is not about the person who was killed", she said. "Though I do not fancy myself above deeper feelings where my friends are concerned. This is about the _way_ he was killed. I have been to the mortuary yesterday. Perhaps he has always killed in such a way. Seeing it, I realized I cannot forgive. You will never change my mind."

"Have you never been carried away and done something you regretted afterward?", inquired Tao. A caring undertone tinted his voice as he said, "He woke at night screaming. We found him washing his mouth with soap, saying he could not get rid of the blood. He suffers, Doctor Choi. Don't think he would not give anything to make it undone."

Tao imagined that he had seen a hint of compassion but for the fraction of a second. It might have been wishful thinking.

"I pity him", stated Hyun Ae. "But that does not mean I can bear his presence. Regret might make amends to god, but it does not bring back the dead. I would spoil Eddie's memory if I associated myself with his murderer. My opinion of M-21 has changed. It cannot be undone. I turn my back to this nightmare. I need to forget. And I need normal people around me for that. So please spare me your useless words."

"Fine", spat Tao, a bit miffed and stood up. "But I think you are mistaken in thinking you can just leave everything behind. Even if you had not been Pandora, you will never be able to forget about the Organization and what they were doing. What they still continue to do till this moment. Well, give us a call if you've come to your senses!"

As an afterthought, he added, "Thanks for the tea", as he already rushed to the door.

Hyun Ae took a deep breath after he had left. She let herself sink back into her chair and took a large gulp of cooling tea. She nearly choked on it because a sob wrenched its way up her throat.

She cried, her tears mixing with the remaining liquid in the cup she clutched between shaking hands.

And now she cried not from shock or anger but out of regret and desperation about all that had been destroyed. Eddie, whom she had thought lost and just regained. Her beloved job at the school that had lent her life stability and calm happiness. The Principal's house and its inhabitants, each a dear friend. And last she cried for M-21, who had thrown her heart in such turmoil until only splinters remained. She was furious that a part of her still longed for him despite all that had passed.

It was long until she had recovered enough to stand up and clean away the cold tea. Longer still until she trusted her voice enough to phone Bae and beg him for a job at his laboratory. He promised he would start organizing it immediately.

Her mood only lightened when the doorbell rang and a tall, red-haired man awaited her with a bouquet of flowers.

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**Note: **Was Tao even convincing? Could he have said anything that would have made a difference? Next chapter will bring a piece of good news for M-21, I promise^^.

Please review!


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **Here's your well-earned weekend chapter. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 38: Variola**

_The smallpox, induced by an infection with the orthopoxvirus variola is a highly contagious illness. Due to a worldwide vaccination campaign, the pox are deemed extinct since 1977 and no vaccination is available anymore. It is said, however, that in laboratories in the United States and Russia, strains of poxvirus still exist. _

Takeo followed M-21 out on the balcony where he found him crouching on the narrow banister like a large cat. He was staring out over the city, the evening wind ruffling his gray hair. He looked very lost and alone.

Takeo leaned his lower back against the balustrade and looked up into the face of the other man. He pondered how he could get him to talk.

"Should I just vanish from here and go back to the way I lived before the Organization?", M-21 asked suddenly.

His gaze as he focused on Takeo was unreadable.

The long-haired man sighed silently, then shook his head slowly.

"Whatever it was you did back then doesn't seem very pleasing to me", he said. "You said so yourself. Why would you want to leave us? Why would you give up, M-21?"

M-21 raised his head and closed his eyes, avoiding Takeo's look. He inhaled the scents of the night.

"I bring misfortune", he mumbled. "My comrades are dead. Those sent after us: dead. The owner of my heart is also dead. As is my main researcher. Jin-Sang did not survive the introduction of my genetic code into his organism. Had she not met me, Doctor Choi would still work happily at the school, knowing nothing, regretting nothing. Do I not seem to be a harbinger of death?"

Takeo huffed and shook his head again.

"Are you stupid, M-21?", he said. "You are not the reason for all these horrible things. The Organization is. Have you not promised M-24 to find all your names and pasts? Have you acquired them yet? Have you not decided for yourself that you would bring down Crombel? Is he eliminated yet? Were not you the one who told me not to throw my life away because I was toyed with?"

Takeo had been speaking himself into a rage and was nearly screaming the last words, his eyes ablaze. M-21 opened his eyes a slit and observed him calmly. Then he shifted his weight so that he moved nearer to the other man.

"Things aren't as easy, Takeo", he said. "I'm fed up with your and Tao's constant nagging. I'll just tell you how things are. Just listen."

"I'm all ears", replied Takeo eagerly.

"First, I won't tell you my name", began M-21. "I don't want anyone to ever call me that name again, for it reminds me of those who gave it to me."

"But they were your parents", protested Takeo, being a family person himself. "They must have loved you."

M-21 snorted. "Yes", he spat sarcastically, "my father 'loved' me in quite a special way."

Ignoring Takeo's shocked expression, he went on. "I rejoiced the day they finally died. But they left me with nothing. So I did what I was good at: looking pretty and be obedient. You have no idea how fast I came to money. And then I met Crombel."

His voice vibrated deep in his throat as he uttered the name and a spark of gold lit in his eyes. "He promised me power. He took more than his due."

His mouth twitched with disgust. "I wanted to run for it and take Alan de Coreanus with me. I was too late. Then there was no going back. I awoke in one of those tanks you surely know yourself. My past was erased. Together with the others I thought it a great loss. I had no idea how wrong I was. One point in time, Crombel forced me to remember in order to get his toy back. I can't quite recall why he erased my memory again. It makes my head ache."

M-21 paused and cringed, pressing one hand to his forehead. When Takeo started, worried, he waved him away with a dismissive gesture.

"It's nothing, really", he said. "Anyway, now you know my past. Despise me, if you wish. I despise myself."

"Shush", made Tao and leaned back to feel the wind in his long hair. "You are too hard on yourself, M-21. With such an upbringing, no surprise where you ended up. In fact, it is astounding how you could become a person with such high morale standards and self-sacrificing loyalty. You risked your life to fight against Shark, or so Tao always tells me. You are no selfish, mindless killer, no matter how much you fancy yourself to be. I like you. You are our precious comrade." With the last words, he smiled widely.

M-21 could not help but give a small relieved smile in return.

"Thank you", he said earnestly. "I should have told you all this long ago, I guess."

"And you will have to repeat it to Tao", remarked Takeo. "Don't depend on me to do your duty."

"I promise to", answered M-21, the smile still playing around his lips. It vanished seconds after.

"Still", he said. "It doesn't help the fact that Doctor Choi never wants to see me again."

"I thought you wanted to keep away from her for her own good?", smirked Takeo.

M-21 sighed and had the grace to look a bit embarrassed. "Easier said than done", he murmured.

Then he twitched and again his hand shot up to his head. Takeo saw his jaw muscles tense as he clenched his teeth against the pain. Without his usual dexterity, he jumped from the balustrade and tensed again.

Takeo hurried to help his comrade. The gray eyes seemed slightly glassy, as M-21 shot him an unwilling look.

"It's okay", he said and went inside. Takeo followed him slowly with an expression of worry in his features.

At the local police office, people were working overtime. Several policemen had fallen ill at once. Common opinion had it that it was just the annual springtime cold. But there was an insistent rumor that the many cases of illness had a connection to the bestial murder in the forest by the industrial quarter.

A special unit of the homicide division was working on the case. So far they had found a human and a dog trace at the site of crime apart from the victim's footprints. It seemed likely that the doctor had been attacked by someone with a large fighting dog. Unfortunately, the footprints could only be traced back to the industrial district where they simply vanished.

Except the name of the victim, no more information could be gained. There was no entry at the registration office. No medical facility had employed him. The woman who had identified him as "John Brown" had claimed to be only a fleeting acquaintance.

When the first policeman was admitted to a hospital with high fever and strange blisters, panic began to spread.

Meanwhile, M-21 sat in bed, propped up by several cushions and tried to focus on the steady stream of information Tao fed him with. He was a bit feverish and had a light rash, but the headache was already getting better, due to the cool cloth Seira had provided for him.

Takeo was in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes by himself, but Tao had said he had great news and insisted on telling M-21 immediately.

He was typing away on his computer until he finally turned the screen around so M-21 could see it.

"What is it?", asked the gray-haired man, momentarily overstrained by the mass of information on the monitor.

"It's the data from the hard disk you brought me", answered Tao. "It took quite some time to fix it since a part was damaged. But I managed to restore a big part of the data."

M-21's eyes widened when the letters finally formed words. He was looking at a collection of data on the M-series. His experimentation line. He gazed at Tao with a mixture of shock and deep admiration.

"Can I...browse through it?", he asked hesitantly.

"Sure!", nodded Tao and handed him the laptop. "Unfortunately it's not complete. But that's not all. Turgo also included information on a new experiment. It should interest the others, too..."

M-21 had stopped listening. His eyes were glued to the words that streamed over the monitor. He had it. Finally, he would know the names and the past of his comrades.

As he read, he recalled every detail about them, vividly. Their faces, their voices, all they had said in the short time he had known them. Now he could call them by their real names in his head. He could connect them to a past, a job, a family. Some had been criminals. It mattered nothing to him. He had seen in Jin-Sang that past deeds could not always reflect on the character.

Last, he read the entry on M-24. _So he indeed had a younger brother, _he thought. _He must miss him._

Only when the letters blurred did he realize that he had been crying. He hurriedly wiped his eyes and raised his head. Tao had sneaked out of the room.

M-21 was thankful. Staring at the monitor, he felt he had never been so happy in his entire life.

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**Note: **See, I'm not that cruel. Now and then, my characters get a piece of happiness^^. Reviews make me happy.


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **M-21 confronts Cruor. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 39: A gesture of submission**

"That infection you suffered from, M-21", said Frankenstein agitated, just arriving from his laboratory, still in the white coat. "It's the smallpox!"

The others stared at him blandly, not realizing what his discovery implied. Then Tao spoke in the silence.

"Reminds me", he said thoughtfully. "There was something I wanted to show you." He went to his room to fetch his laptop.

"What M-21 had seems to be an abortive form", he heard the Principal saying when he returned.

"Which explains the lack of vesiculae and the fact none of us caught it. His immune system must have eliminated it."

"What are you so worked up about?", asked Regis. "Even he might fall ill from time to time."

"It's not the fact that M-21 fell ill, that worries me", replied Frankenstein. "Though that is surprising enough. It is the illness itself. The smallpox are extinct. They should not exist at all!"

"Well, they're making a grand comeback", said Tao and put his laptop down on the table. "The Organization started a new experimentation line with a strain of enhanced poxvirus and humans made immune to it to be used as carriers."

An expression of utter horror appeared on Frankenstein's face as he scanned the information. He paled considerably. The others, alarmed by his reaction, began to worry as well.

The blonde jumped up at once.

"Tao! Find out whether anyone else has been infected. Takeo, fetch me Doctor Kim immediately. M-21, you're coming with me. I need more samples to create a vaccine. Seira, Regis, can you keep your ears open around the school? The rumors travel faster than official sources."

Cruor watched the woman sleep peacefully in the dim light seeping in from the streetlamps outside. She looked very vulnerable, her face relaxed, for once void of any emotion.

His chest ached slightly when he thought about her. When he was with her, he felt she was relaxed and good-natured around him, but when he held her he knew that her thoughts were not with him, but with another. They were thoughts of hate, not love. She was utilizing him as an instrument of her personal revenge. He let himself be used because it felt good. Because he liked being with her. Because he was addicted to the warmth in her eyes when she looked at him.

Still, he suspected she had looked at the human with other eyes. He was just a replacement. Second choice.

Cruor soundlessly slipped out of bed and pulled the blanket tight around her. He gathered his things and crept from of the room.

It was the middle of the night as he stepped out onto the empty street. The door fell shut behind him.

M-21 had gone on a midnight walk to clear his head. He felt slightly dizzy from the remains of the fever and euphoria about the news on his comrades. Without a conscious decision, his feet had carried him to the vicinity of Doctor Choi's apartment.

He started when he saw a tall shadow leave the house.

The next moment he was pressing the man against the wall of the neighboring building in a shadow-filled alley between the two houses.

Razor-sharp claws were pointed at Cruor's throat, his chin bent upward in an awkward angle. He dared not move an inch, paralyzed by the amber glow in M-21's eyes, his bared teeth, face contorted with pure fury. He swallowed and a thin red line appeared on his neck.

"HOW DARE YOU?", snarled M-21 and then his voice dropped to a soft hiss that was filled with cold menace. "How dare you take what is mine?"

His other hand had been balled to a fist, so hard that blood oozed from his palm. He placed it flat against the red-head's chest.

"Please", whined Cruor. Had the other man not already caught him by the neck, he would have bared it in a gesture of submission. "Please! I didn't..."

"Didn't take her?", growled M-21. His grip tightened slightly. "You did, and you enjoyed it thoroughly. I could smell you miles away. Perhaps I should make sure you won't do it again?"

His hand crept down between Cruor's legs. The werewolf sweated. His eyes were so wide that M-21 could see the white above the iris. The hand came up to the left side of his chest again. His nails dug in, only shallow. He saw how the man clenched his teeth against the pain.

"Why her?", asked M-21. "Because she was important to me?" His nails dug in a few inches deeper. Cruor's breath came in heavy pants.

"How was it?", he continued in a voice of horrible mockery. "Must have been a great feeling, such a triumph over me." The claws scratched over bone. Cruor made a strangled voice at the back of his throat, his fingers gripping the wall for support.

"Did you...?", he broke off as he was ripped back violently.

A black wolf stood on his chest, teeth bared, growling menacingly.

"Lucky we went to look for you, Uncle Cruor", said Nox and crouched down next to the man who had slid down the wall and was pressing one hand against the wound on his chest. Blood was trickling down.

The boy turned around and his dark eyes fixed on M-21. "You would have killed him, right?"

M-21 awoke as if rising from deep water. He blinked and gasped for air, momentarily confused and unsure of his surroundings. He raised a hand to push his hair out of his face and realized that it was covered in blood.

His throat tightened. _The brat is right, _he thought with horror, _I would have killed him without hesitation. I was so furious I could no longer control myself. How wonderful it felt to cause him this much pain, to make him suffer... What the heck am I thinking? _

The wolf on his chest transformed into the other twin and stepped down from him. He felt the weight of their steady gaze on him.

Cruor had recovered somewhat and was getting to his feet.

"You fuckin freak!", he snarled. "Treating Hyun Ae as if she was your property? Too bad for you she decides herself who she wants to be with. You make her life only miserable!"

M-21 stayed silent. What was there to say anyway? He was right. He did bring her only misery. And within an ace he would have taken someone else dear from her. He covered his face with his clean hand.

"I'm sorry", he mumbled. "I am a monster."

"Well spotted!", raged the red-head. "Someone like you could never be leader." He prowled nearer and his voice dropped to a vicious hiss. "The world would be better off without you."

"That is quite enough, Cruor!", said the twins. "We came with you to help you find Henri and Cassia. We even sniffed out this one for you. We thought this woman was just a passing whim of yours and let you amuse yourself. We should have intervened earlier. Know your limits, Cruor de Coreanus!"

"Tch!", made Cruor and bared his sharp teeth. He opened his mouth to retort something but decided otherwise. With three strong leaps he vanished into the night.

"Thank you", said M-21 as he got to his feet. He looked at his hand where the blood had already begun to dry.

"He wouldn't have been able to kill you", said Nox.

"I might have let him", replied M-21 with a strange glint in his eyes.

"You have not improved at all", said Noceo with a hint of disappointment in his young voice.

"There is only so much a human mind can bear until it breaks", mumbled M-21. "I just recovered my comrades' past. How did this triumph turn into ruin? Why am I never satisfied? Why can this void only be filled up with blood?"

He looked up and a shimmer of gold reflected in his eyes.

"You took away my prey", he growled and the world went crimson.

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**Note: **What do you say? Review!


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **The new chapter is up. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 40: Pandemia**

_Pandemia is the maximum term for a spreading infection. It means that an infection is no longer limited to a certain region (epidemia), but is appearing across borders of countries and continents. Only a highly developed microorganism with excellent human-to-human transduction can cause a pandemia. Examples from the past are the plague, cholera, tuberculosis and various influenza species. The latest pandemia today is caused by the HIV. There are always microorganisms threatening to cause a pandemia, though. Like the H1N1. And there is always the threat of infections being utilized as weapons for so-called biological warfare. A frightening thought._

"There is another pox-patient!", said the assistant doctor, slightly out of breath.

"Shush!", hissed a nurse. "Don't say that out loud. Call it variola case or something else. We don't want to cause a panic."

The doctor cringed his brows for a second, then shrugged. "It's not as if we can prevent the news from spreading, the way the situation is developing now, is it?"

His senior doctor only nodded gravely and went back to his notebook.

"Fine", snapped the nurse. "Bring him to isolation station two. There should be a few free beds left."

Later that day, during the time between shifts, the head doctors had called an emergency staff meeting. Doctors, nurses, cooks, cleaning personnel, people working for transportation, sterilization and technical issues were all squeezed into the cafeteria, for lack of a bigger conference room.

"Listen up, everybody!", called the head of inner medicine, a tall and thin man with gray hair and a cleanly shaved chin. The general buzz of conversation tuned down a bit.

"For anyone who hasn't yet noticed: we are facing an epidemia. Of the smallpox. The virus is highly pathogenous. Transduction and mortality rates are incredible high. We haven't been able to save anyone with skin manifestations until now. Everyone who had a pox vaccination, please raise your hands."

Heads turned in trepidation. Hands were raised. It was about one-third of the staff.

The head of surgery raised his booming voice. "We do not know how far a vaccination protects from this new strain of virus. Yet we would prefer that only vaccinated personnel works with infected patients to keep infections among the staff as low as possible. Anyone who feels ill is to stay at home at all costs for at least seven days which seems to be the incubation time until skin manifestations become apparent."

Then a weaker voice spoke, coughed and spoke again louder. "As the chief of microbiology and laboratory medicine, it is my duty to inform you that the public will be informed this evening and information on general security will be published. I want to ask all of you to spread information with which danger we are dealing and how to protect against it. Advise any person with suspicious symptoms to stay at home unless the condition becomes life-threatening. I also want to ask everyone who is dispensable for patient care to help developing a vaccination. We are preparing an isolation laboratory in the basement. Come down whenever you have time to spare, please."

"Thank you for your attention!", shouted the head of surgery over the rising mumbling. "Let's go back to work!"

"Why did you call me here, Bae?", asked Hyun Ae, a bit flustered. She had not seen her friend in the laboratory for days. Now he had suddenly appeared and immediately asked to see her in his office.

Doctor Kim took his glasses off and cleaned them on the edge of his shirt. He took a few deep breaths and then focused on the woman in front of him.

"I need your help, Hyun Ae", he said gravely.

At that, Hyun Ae could not help but smile. "Remember when I said those words to you, right here in this office, Bae?", she asked. Then her smile faded as she remembered what had followed their talk and what horrible things had happened to her since then.

_I only thank the gods that Bae has been untroubled so far, _she thought.

"I do", replied the doctor without smiling in return. "A lot of things have happened since then. I feared many times I might have lost you. I count myself lucky to be still able to talk to you right now. But you are not the same person as you were back then. I hope it does not matter, though."

"Why are you saying this, Bae?", asked Hyun Ae, confused and concerned. "You know I would never hesitate to help you."

"You need to come with me to Frankenstein Lee's laboratory", said Bae.

Hyun Ae's face froze. A shadow of aversion slid over it. "Why would you ask that of me, knowing whom I am bound to encounter there?"

"Because many lives depend on it", answered Bae. He shot her a hard look through his glasses, half reproach, half plea. "Doctor Turgo was infected with the pox. The Organization developed a new and highly dangerous strain. According to information he managed to smuggle out, they are also working on human carriers, immune to the virus to spread it across the country or even across the world. Two policemen involved in the case were infected. It is spiraling out of control now. We are trying to develop a vaccination. We need your help with it. Even Doctor Lee needs sleep now and then."

With a pang, Hyun Ae now saw the dark circles under her friends' eyes. Noticed how often he blinked and how tired and rough his voice sounded. He was at his limits already.

_Why am I even hesitating?, _she asked herself. _Because I cannot bear to see him now. Why didn't Tao tell me this? The fact that Eddie was already dying would have been an excellent argument. What should I do? I must push aside my own feelings. If I follow my own selfish desires again, I will end in ruin._

She raised her chin defiantly. "I'll come with you", she said. "Just give me half an hour to pack some things. I will meet you there."

Bae nodded and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Hyun Ae", he smiled. "I had hoped you would say yes."

About half an hour later, Hyun Ae wished she had come together with Bae. She desperately needed his support right now. The prospect of meeting M-21 filled her with dread and excitement alike.

Takeo came to open the door and his face lit up immediately when he recognized her.

"Doctor Choi!", he exclaimed. "Come on in, everyone will be really relieved you came, the Principal most of all."

He stepped aside to let her in. She looked around, prepared for his face. The room was empty. Remembering the time she realized that the Nobles must still be at school. But if Takeo was here...

Upon seeing her anxious gaze, he added in a low voice. "He's not here, you know. He went out yesterday night and hasn't returned yet."

It took her some effort to suppress a sigh of relief.

"The Principal and Doctor Kim are in the basement", Takeo informed her politely. "But perhaps you would like some refreshments before?"

Hyun Ae cracked a grin at his stiff manners, but shook her head.

"Thank you, Takeo", she said. "I'll go down immediately."

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**Note: **Review!


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Updates might be delayed next week since I'm doing my written exam. Nevertheless, enjoy the new chapter!**  
**

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**Chapter 41: To tame a beast**

The room was empty and no longer his. He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. It had once been a neat business card. Now he had to strain his eyes to read the address.

He threw one last look at the familiar walls. Then he shrugged and left his home forever.

"So you came!", said the man, his voice filled with warm concern.

For a fleeting moment, M-21 could delude himself that this tall, slightly overweight person with graying hair only wanted to help him. That he had no second thoughts, but was only thinking of his well-being.

"Sit down, my boy", he said eagerly. "Can I get you something to drink? A small snack?"

The dark-haired M-21 of the past nodded. "That would be very nice. Thank you", he answered politely.

The voice chattered on while he drank and ate, trying to hide that he had not done so properly for days.

"I have this small flat in the city", said the man. "Nothing big, mind you, but I don't need it right now, so how about you live there until you've found something better? For free, of course. It is only gathering dust, right now. And you will need some money for school fees, won't you? I'll help you out until you can stand on your own feet."

"Thank you", repeated the young man. "You are very generous."

"Am I?", asked his father's former workmate with a self-satisfied grin. "I just cannot bear to see a good lad reduced to nothing. Your gratitude is all I need."

"You have it", said M-21 and inclined his head stiffly. _Let it be true, _he prayed inwardly. _Just let that be all._

A warm, heavy hand settled on his shoulder. He glanced into the broad face, hovering inches from his own. The fake smile was still on it. But in the eyes that stared at him he could see an ugly glint of greed, lighting behind his own reflected image.

He did not resist nor pull back when a wet mouth closed over his. It tasted like alcohol and tobacco, bitter and sickeningly familiar.

With precise, trained movements, he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off. He imagined his skin going numb where the fleshy hands touched it.

Then the room with the horrible memory blurred and was swiped away by a scene of carnage. His fur was soaked in blood. It dripped warmly from his muzzle. Between his teeth, he felt bones break.

M-21's eyes snapped open. He stared at a ceiling he had never seen before. With force, he tried to sit up. To his surprise, he was able to do so without difficulties.

"Finally awake?", asked Cassia's voice. "How about breakfast? Though it's nearly lunch time already", she added after a glance at her clock.

Still unsure how he had gotten there, M-21 nodded silently and slipped out of bed in his wrinkled clothes. He felt a bit dizzy as he tried to stand.

Cassia took his forearm and steered him directly into an armchair in the living room. Henri looked up from the book he had been reading.

"_Trop de_ tranquilizer?", he asked with one eyebrow raised.

"He'll come around", said Cassia with a casual gesture and pushed a large pot of boiling-hot coffee into M-21's hands.

"Serves him right", came the eerie voice of the twins from the door.

M-21 jumped and turned around to see them walking in. Both had a few already fading scars on their faces.

"Yeah, Aunt Cassia", they continued. "No need to say anything. We judged the situation wrong. And we should have been gone quite some time. We became too enamored by that school, it seems."

"You're not going to rip my head off, then?", asked M-21 cautiously around two gulps of way too strong coffee.

"Why should we have bothered to capture you alive, then?", said Cassia and took a bite from a buttered croissant. She had occupied the sofa opposite of him, pulled her legs up in a leisurely way that made him praise her decision of wearing trousers instead of a skirt.

"Yes, why indeed?", mumbled M-21.

"_C'est nos devoir_", replied Henri, shutting his book at last. "We are like family, after all."

"Who wants to be family with an uncontrollable killer?", asked M-21 glumly.

"Shush", smirked Cassia. "We call that assertiveness. It's the stuff leaders are made of."

"Does that mean, Alan..."

"We all have those urges of beastly, vicious violence sometimes", she said and swallowed the last bit of her croissant. "You just have to deal with it."

M-21's eyes went wide. He forgot he had just taken a sip of coffee and choked horribly on it. Burning liquid dripped into his lungs and provoked a violent coughing fit.

It took him some minutes until he had regained his breath again.

"You can teach me how to deal with it?", he gasped.

"Everyone has their own way to do it", said Henri. "I for myself like to go outside with the dogs when I feel unusually anxious."

"I go free-climbing", said Cassia.

"We race each other", said the twins. "Of course I always win", added Nox and was boxed by Noceo for it.

The gray-haired man regarded them all a bit helpless. Then a sly smile spread on Cassia's face.

"Of course you could also try out Alan's way to deal with it", she said.

"_Je ne pense pas c'est..._", began Henri.

"Shut up", Cassia interrupted him and stood up. "Let me have my fun. I already said I have taken quite a linking to him." She stretched out her hand for M-21 to take.

He hesitated for a moment, alarmed by the feral look in her eyes.

_What the heck are you afraid of?, _he asked himself. _You struck deals with suspicious scientists. Why not with a pretty woman who could have killed you on many other occasions?_

"We're, um, going for a walk", said the twins after the two of them had left the room.

Henri gave them a fleeting smile and returned to his book. He did not mind the sounds. On the contrary, they put his mind at ease. A memory of the distant past, when they had meant that at least for the moment, things were all right.

"This might work out", said Frankenstein, knocking against the glass of the rat cage. One of the white-furred animals looked up curiously and twitched its whiskers.

"They do seem healthy", agreed Bae, his voice sounding alien through the thick isolation suit he was wearing.

"We will have to wait at least double the incubation time", remarked Hyun Ae. "And then we still have to try it out on a human test subject."

Bae swallowed and reached his hands up to take off his glasses, then, realizing he would not be able to, he lowered them again. "I am the only one here who will be able to do it", he said. "Though I must admit that I'm scared senseless."

"Let's first exploit the animal testing before we talk about that", said Hyun Ae. "I don't feel like going back to the human experiments quite yet."

Frankenstein said nothing and kept his face carefully empty. They left the room with the animals and cleaned away the remaining working material, locking M-21's serum samples carefully away in the fridge.

They exited the laboratory area through the high-security lock to minimize contamination.

Up in the living room, the Nobles had come back from school. The mood was subdued.

"I take it you heard no good news?", asked Frankenstein.

Seira and Regis shook their heads. Rai stared silently ahead. It was Tao who spoke.

"My research showed that about 150 people have been infected until now. Numbers are rising by the hour. The local hospital has no capacities to keep the patients properly isolated. For now, they are advising ill persons to stay at home until their situation becomes life-threatening."

"Desperate measures", mumbled Hyun Ae. "How many have survived?"

"None", replied Tao, his face stony.

The three doctors gasped.

"100% mortality?", whispered Bae, his face drained of all color. "Impossible. What should we do?"

"There's something else, isn't there?", asked Hyun Ae anxiously, regarding the glum faces.

"Shinwoo is ill", said Regis softly.

"The girls told us today", added Seira. "Yuuna says he has been visiting an aunt at the hospital. He is alone at home right now. We forbid them to visit. They asked us the tell you and beg you to do something."

"We'll take him here", said Frankenstein immediately.

"How?", asked Hyun Ae. "We cannot risk spreading the infection any further."

"Why don't we take an isolation suit with us?", proposed Bae. He reddened when everybody turned to look at him.

"Good idea!", said Frankenstein and clapped him on the shoulder. "You better stay here, though. Are you coming with me, Doctor Choi?"

"Sure", nodded Hyun Ae.

Takeo had already sprinted down to the laboratory to fetch one of the white suits. Tao had taken out his laptop and was developing statistics with extrapolations, trying to predict infection rates in the coming days.

M-21 looked visibly relaxed when he re-entered the living room. He had the grace to look embarrassed upon seeing the other man's nose twitch. Henri merely shot him a wordless glance.

"Would you mind lending me a set of clothes?", asked M-21.

"The shower is across _le corridor_", replied Henri, the nasal tone of his voice betraying that he avoided breathing through his nose. "You will find some hopefully fitting clothing there."

"Thanks!", smiled the younger man and hurriedly left the room.

Half an hour later, he was uncomfortably tugging at the stiff white collar of Henri's dress shirt. The dark gray trousers and vest that came with it set off the lighter color of his hair, making it seem silver in the fading light.

"I fear I will have to find another method, though", he was just saying to Cassia, already standing up to leave.

"No need to feel uneasy", replied the blond woman. "I wasn't planning to propose it permanently. I just thought that pretty doctor of yours was a quite helpful person."

"She still is", said M-21 with a bitter smile. "Just not so for me."

"She won't be able to resist _toi charme à demeure_", smiled Henri and toasted him with the glass of red wine he was drinking.

"Listen to the wise man", said Cassia. "Now be off. I see you're burning to leave. Don't worry. We'll talk sense with Cruor for you. _Au revoir_!"

"Thanks again", said M-21 and with a wave, he was gone.

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**Note:**

_Trop de_ - too much

_C'est nos devoir_ - It is our duty

_Je ne pense pas c'est..._ - I don't believe that's...

_toi charme à demeure_ - your charms forever

I hope you liked it. Review!


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Yay, written exams are over! Only oral exams to go. Enjoy the new chapter!**  
**

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**Chapter 42: Intrinsic gray**

_Intrinsic gray names the fact that even in absolute darkness, we do not see 'nothing' but irregular specks and patterns of gray. This is due to the basic activation of our visual receptors never being zero. Only when our optic nerve is severed would we be able to see nothing at all, which is, I think, quite hard to imagine._

Hyun Ae stared at the young body wafting in the clear water of the tank. A nagging feeling of unease had seized her ever since they put Shinwoo in it. She had not known the Principal had a set of those tanks.

"So the good scientists use clear water instead of green?", she wondered, only noticing a moment later that she had spoken her thoughts out loud.

Frankenstein looked at her, remorse in his gaze. "Science is a thin line to walk", he said softly. "Sometimes, in our enthusiasm, we step over it, regretting it at a time of more sober thoughts. Indeed I recognize a few methods the Organization seems to be using. I have long since lost some records of my experiments. I fear they have been found."

He paused at the look of shock on the two doctor's faces. Then he looked up into the boy's sleeping face and a smile grazed his lips.

"You need not worry, though", he continued. "Master has returned. Even if I had the urge to go too far, he would stop me. You would try to, too, would you not?"

They nodded silently.

"Since it is my responsibility, I shall destroy the Organization", he said evenly. "You must be tired and hungry. Let us go up for today. I will go check on him later on."

They were greeted by the smell of Seira's cooking. Upon hearing Bae's stomach rumble beside her, Hyun Ae realized how starved she was herself. They had not eaten anything after breakfast and had been working in the basement ceaselessly since they had brought Shinwoo.

Her empty stomach lurched when she noticed M-21 whispering with his comrades near the door to the balcony.

He looked up upon their entry and his eyes, silver in the dim light, met hers for a fleeting moment.

_How did those eyes look while he slaughtered Eddie?, _she asked herself. Unbidden, her friend's ghastly pale face in the mortuary swam up in her memory. Deep gashes in his chest, the throat ripped to shreds.

Her eyes filled with tears. She suddenly felt nauseous.

"I should leave", said M-21.

He turned to go, but Takeo held him back by the arm. He shook his head.

"There is no point in running away", said Tao. "You two will have to talk, eventually."

"I remind her of horrible things", mumbled M-21 in a pained voice.

"Well?", said Takeo, harshly. "She will have to accept the fact that her friend is dead. He was not exactly a saint, either."

M-21 remembered the additional information on the hard disc Turgo had given to him. It had been like a shrift: every experiment he had been involved with. He had also been part of the 'Pandora' experiment. M-21 wondered whether Doctor Choi knew it.

He closed his eyes exasperatedly and straightened his shoulders. "Let's do this, then", he said.

Against her will, Hyun Ae felt her eyes drawn to M-21. The clothes he wore lent him an air of elegance, enhancing the way he moved his slender frame. A strand of gray hair fell into his face when he turned his head. In her memory, it smelled of strawberries. As her eyes strayed to his scar, she wondered again how he had attained it. He had never told her.

She shook her head. In his gaze she saw only coldness, unfeeling dispassion. She was not aware that it might be a reflection of her own.

"Do not misunderstand", she hissed. "I am here to help. It does not mean I changed my opinion on you. I won't speak to you."

"Fine", said M-21 evenly, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "I am a monster, after all."

That windy day on the roof when he had first showed her his transformation, seemed a life away. _Are we not all hypocrites?, _he thought bitterly. _Are we humans not always led by our prejudices, hate, fear and jealous desires? Are these Nobles free of those? Then they would be indeed superior __beings. The werewolves are at least true to their feelings. When greedy, they name what they desire and upon receiving it, enjoy it earnestly. Have they ever questioned my motive in attacking Cruor? They merely feared I would go too far._

He turned away and went to help the others lay the table.

"Won't speak to you?", repeated Bae astonished. "I never heard you talk like that, Hyun Ae. You were never one to bear a grudge, you would always think the best of people. You..."

"How foolish can you be?", Hyun Ae cut him off coldly. "You think me a saint? That's not the real me! I am full of hate and anger, fear and despair. Don't I have a right to hate him? He murdered Eddie! Eddie was my friend. How can you understand?"

The ringing in her ears told her how loud she had spoken. With shock she saw that Bae had backed away from her, eyes wide, arms raised as if to fend off an attack. He slowly straightened up again and looked into her face with an earnest, piercing gaze.

"I don't think you are a saint, Hyun Ae", he said. "But a human can hope. Don't you realize how that hate is eating away at you, burning down everything until nothing remains but bleak, hard coldness?"

Hyun Ae stayed silent.

"Forgiveness will not be given out of obligation", the clear deep voice of Rai said. "It is yours to bestow or to deny, Hyun Ae Choi. We shall not interfere."

Hyun Ae could find no sleep that night. She lay awake in the darkness, staring up towards the ceiling, pondering her actions.

_Is that what unquenchable hate feels like?, _she asked herself, listening into the silence, trying to recall the way she had felt in M-21's presence. _Most definitely it is nothing like indifference. Not even towards his fate. I wish for it to be cruel and full of suffering. _

_Is that even me? Is that not Pandora, lurking in the parts of my brain that are not fitting for normal society? Wasting away in half-oblivion, shackled in, torn from her own mind, forced to lurk in mine._

She rolled to her side, facing the window. Three razor-thin lines shone through the jalousies, too dim to be called light, mere lesser dark shadows amongst the others.

_No, _Hyun Ae thought. _No, things aren't that easy. I can't put the blame on Pandora. These are my feelings, I'll have to accept that. How foolish to wish there was one sin less on my plate since I am wading in the murky depths of that swamp called crime myself. I have killed a man. Surely it is natural for a murderer to feel hate?_

_But I did not want him to die, _a small voice at the back of her mind said. _Surely it cannot be called murder? Homicide, then? No difference in the outcome. _

She sighed and closed her eyes. Against the back of her eyelids, she could see the flickering intrinsic gray her eyes registered even in complete darkness. Somehow, the thought was comforting.

_No matter where we are, we humans will never be in total darkness. Is not the fact that Bae, despite all that I have done, still believes me a good person, proof enough that I haven't yet fallen to the depths of hell?_

_I almost wish I could forgive M-21, if only to make Bae happy. Perhaps I should consult someone neutral in this case...how about I speak to Cruor tomorrow?_

Having finally made up her mind, she slowly drifted off into sleep.

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**Note: **Review!


	43. Chapter 43

Dislcaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long wait. I was thrown off track by a sudden invitation to a job interview. But now I'm back and you can enjoy the new chapter!**  
**

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**Chapter 43: Paths untrodden**

"His condition is beginning to destabilize", said Frankenstein gravely. "I fear that we will not be able to keep the infection at bay. The vaccination might be his only hope for survival."

Hyun Ae stared up into Shinwoo's face, worrying her lower lip between her teeth and then glanced at her friend Bae Kim, deeply conflicted. She shook her head.

"It's too risky yet", she disagreed. "We need to conduct more experiments. You think so too, right Bae?"

Doctor Kim made a pained expression at her words and exhaled audibly.

"How can you ask me that, Hyun Ae?", he said. "Of course I am afraid. But in the end, how far can those animal trials bring us? The drug needs to be tested on humans. Perhaps this will become my helicobacter pylori." He smiled sadly.

A hint of anger passed over Hyun Ae's face. "It's too soon!", she exclaimed. "Why won't you realize that?"

"Is that really your opinion as a doctor?", asked Frankenstein, regarding her closely through his glasses. "Or is it merely that you are too afraid to act since it might cause his death?"

"I...", began Hyun Ae and looked from one face to another. "Perhaps I am. I wish I could test the substance on myself first. You would not be here if I had not pulled you down with me."

"You did not 'pull me down'", said Bae. "You told me it might be dangerous and I agreed to help you, out of my own free will. As I will test this vaccination of my own free will."

Hyun Ae had no reply. She pondered the words of her friend, looked at his stern and decisive expression behind the plexiglass of his isolation coat. Her thoughts swirled.

Behind her, she heard the soft humming of the tank that held Shinwoo, who would soon be beyond their aid.

_100 percent mortality, _she heard Bae whisper again. _Is it just my cowardice that is keeping this boy from his rescue? Him and many others? Is it alright to risk one life for another? Is it not Bae's choice alone?_

"We will leave you out of this, if you are too afraid", Frankenstein ripped her out of her thoughts. "I will inject the substance. You may even leave the lab if you so choose."

"No", said Hyun Ae, making her choice. "I will need to face my fear and take responsibility. I will stay."

Bae's relieved smile lessened her doubts somewhat.

She was still worrying about him, while she waited for Cruor in front of the Principal's house, her coat buttoned up against the chilly wind.

As always, a smile lit up her face when he came into view. For a fleeting moment, she was at peace with the world.

The red-head laid his warm arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"I thought you wanted to avoid this neighborhood", he asked nonchalantly while they walked away down the street.

"Something urgent came up", she answered evasively.

He threw her a questioning glance. Embarrassed, she avoided his light-green eyes, not exactly knowing herself, why she would not tell him about the vaccination.

"A student is seriously ill", she mumbled reluctantly.

"Ah, sorry", he smiled. "Medical confidentiality, is that the correct term?"

Hyun Ae nodded, relieved that he had found an adequate explanation himself. She looked up into his face and felt the usual pull to tell him all about the Organization, to let go of the lies, the feeling of betraying him. It was stronger than usual, but not quite strong enough.

Cruor was her anchor to a normal life. She could not afford to lose him.

"How was your week?", she asked, trying to change topics.

"Ah, about that...", began Cruor and looked a bit bashful. "There is something important I need to ask you, but rather not here. Can we talk about it at your place?"

"Okay", she nodded surprised.

They walked for a while in silence and Hyun Ae enjoyed the feeling of a warm body next to her, sensing the soft, regular beating of his heart.

Until a memory stole itself into her consciousness. A memory of a winter day, with another silent person beside her, whose presence had made her heart tremble.

Being with Cruor filled her with happiness, but he did not evoke the same fascination nor the intense emotions she had felt for M-21. While her relationship with Cruor was easy and comfortable, her ties with M-21 were marked by disaccord.

_It might even be, _she thought, _that his cruel nature fueled my passion even more. Is it not every woman's dream to ensnare and redeem the tempting villain? How foolish and naïve! Yet how I wish this silver gaze which I abhor, would linger just a few seconds longer on me..._

Lost in her musings, she had not noticed that they were already approaching her flat.

Inside, she busied herself with the tea pot, pushing aside her thoughts of M-21, wondering about Cruor's news instead.

The tall man was nervous and uneasy, walking around the small kitchen restlessly, clenching and unclenching his fists.

When she finally served the smoking tea, he took a large gulp that must have scorched his tongue, but swallowed bravely without twitching a lash.

"I really don't know how to say this", he began haltingly.

Hyun Ae stared at him and swallowed hard. "You want us to break up?", she asked, her voice trembling. "Is that it?"

"No!", Cruor exclaimed immediately. "Quite the contrary. I... wanted to ask you whether you want to come home with me."

"Oh", made Hyun Ae. Surprise chased relief, making way for confusion. "You're leaving Korea?"

Cruor nodded. "I found what I came for and now it's time to return", he said. "And I want to take you with me."

"That's...", whispered Hyun Ae, "I don't know what to say."

"Was it too straightforward?", asked Cruor contritely. "I never quite got the hang of Korean politeness."

"That's not it", Hyun Ae hurried to assure him. "It's just a bit sudden, that's all."

"How about I give you a week to consider?", proposed the werewolf. "Is that enough time to think it over?"

"I guess", said Hyun Ae softly. After a sip of tea, she added: "Actually, I wanted to ask you something, too."

"Fire away!", said Cruor with a smile, happy that she had at least not declined in the first place.

Hyun Ae took a deep breath. "It's about M-21", she said.

Cruor's smile vanished. A hard glint appeared in his eyes. "What about him?", he asked tensely.

"Would it be alright to stop hating him?", wondered Hyun Ae.

The mix of worry, trust and insecurity on her sweet face made Cruor's chest constrict painfully. He bit back the bitter words on his tongue.

_If you knew he almost ripped out my heart, would you ask that, Hyun Ae?, _he thought. _If you knew of the bloodlust that pulses through his veins, would you doubt your decision? If you knew about the real me would you not hate me just as much?_

_Do not misunderstand her, old pal. She's speaking about herself. Whether it would be okay for _her_ to stop hating him. Your own feelings should not matter here._

"Is that something you can formally decide upon?", he asked. "Do you not already know your own feelings? Why would you ask me that? Do you want me to justify your hate or your forgiveness?"

"I don't know", whispered Hyun Ae, realizing how unreasonable her question had been and that she should have known the answer herself.

"Sorry", he mumbled gently at the sight of her utter regret. "I was too rough. But how can you ask me such a question about the monster that murdered your friend? If you have the heart to forgive him, I admire you for it, for heaven knows I wouldn't have it."

He covered her smaller hand with his and she closed her eyes, listening to their breathing, listening into herself to seek forgiveness.

She did not notice that something had changed in Cruor's expression. Her question had confirmed what he had long since known.

_She will never truly be mine, _he thought. _I thought I could at least win against him here, I thought that warmth in her eyes meant they were only looking at me. _

"You won't come with me, right?", he asked, dejected.

Hyun Ae opened her mouth to object, but then Shinwoo entered her mind. She shook her head sadly.

"I am sorry, Cruor", she said softly. "I can't. I'm needed here."

Cruor nodded and stood up.

"There is something else I was planning to tell you", he mumbled, not meeting her eye. "But since you will stay you need not know. If we ever meet again, things will be different. I wish you the best, Hyun Ae."

She looked into his stony face, blurry through her tears. She reached out for him, but he took a step back. A sob escaped her.

"Why?", she cried. "Why do you have to leave like that? How can you leave me alone?"

His expression softened at her grief and he embraced her tightly.

"You won't be alone", he said gently. "What about your friends? And didn't you say you were needed? Crying won't help anyone. It's not the end of the world, or do you want me to become big-headed?"

She shook her head, still sobbing. It took her a few long moments to detach herself from him and wipe her face dry. She smiled sadly.

"I won't forget you", she promised.

"I hope so", he replied and with a few steps and the door clicking shut, Cruor de Coreanus had disappeared from Hyun Ae Choi's life.

She stood motionless for some time, wondering what might have been, had she chosen to come with him. What he would have told her, where his home lay, what would have become of this life left behind.

Then she turned to put the empty cups in the sink and swallowed her sobs.

She had not walked down that path by her decision alone.

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**Note:**

helicobacter pylori - a bacteria responsible for most cases of stomach ulcers. It was discovered 1983 by Barry Marshall and John Robin Warren, but scientist did not take their findings serious until Marshall proved his theory in 1984 by swallowing a batch containing the bacteria and developed a gastritis that could be cured by antibiotic therapy. They received the Nobel prize in 2005.

I hope you liked the chapter. Do tell me what you think.


	44. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **The new chapter for this week. Enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 44: Anger management**

As they were nearing home, M-21 suddenly sniffed. Takeo saw his neck muscles tense up.

"What is it?", he asked.

"Nothing", M-21 mumbled hastily and clenched his teeth.

_That cur, he was here! With her!, _his mind raged.

"Nothing?", Tao repeated mockingly. "Come on, don't give us that shit again. You look seriously pissed off."

"Just stressed out", said M-21 and shook a strand of hair out of his eyes.

_I should have killed him back then, _he thought. _I should have ripped out his pitiful heart and stuffed it into his gloating face. If she abhors me, how can she stand him? Or did he just play the good dog for her? Arr, I want to hunt him down and smell his fear again. I want..._

He nearly tripped at the stairs, lost in his thoughts. He growled angrily at his own clumsiness.

"What?", he barked at Tao's questioning look. "See? Stressed out!"

"Calm down", said Tao, a bit annoyed. He seemed inclined to say more, but Takeo silenced him with a gesture.

"How about we go out tonight? I heard there's a good club near the city hall. Let off some steam, you know?"

"Okay, I guess", replied M-21, breathing deeply and evenly to calm himself down. He would have to do something. The taste of blood was on his tongue.

_Might as well try, _he thought, shrugging inwardly.

Tao had voted to stay behind. He was still working on retrieving the last pieces of information on Turgo's disc.

M-21, relieved that he had been able to hide the searing fury gnawing at his insides during dinner, casually raised a hand and followed Takeo through the door.

He did not notice that a pair of red eyes was watching his exit with worry.

"How did you hear of this club?", he asked Takeo as they walked, mainly to keep his thoughts busy.

"My famous network of informants", answered the long-haired man smirking.

"The female teachers", M-21 stated and had to grin at Takeo's bad-performed surprise. "No secret, that." It had been a relief for Tao and him to see Takeo lose his initial fear of getting attached to people that had been born from the fact that Shark had killed all his acquaintances. Now he was becoming a real women magnet.

"But I have only the most honorable intentions", proclaimed Takeo.

"Dogs that bark don't bite, right?", said M-21.

Takeo frowned at him and gave him a painful punch between the ribs. "Never thought you were one for hackneyed sayings", he spat. He was soothed by the relaxed expression on his comrades face, though.

The music hammered in M-21's ears, numbing him slightly. The overwhelming smell of sweat and alcohol made him dizzy.

He only had a vague idea where Takeo had disappeared to. Now and then, he saw his long hair swish through his field of vision.

He closed his eyes and tried not to think about Cruor and what he might be doing to Doctor Choi right now.

He flinched heavily when he found her looking at him through the slightly smoky air of the club.

A moment later, he realized his mistake. The woman had only vague semblance to Doctor Choi, possessing the same slight build, dark hair and brown eyes. She smirked.

"You look cute when you're surprised", she purred.

_Definitely not Doctor Choi, _he thought. _Nonetheless..._

"Is that so?", he drawled.

"I'm Iseul", she said and sidled nearer to him. Clearly she was waiting for him to tell her his name now.

"What a nice name", he heard himself say instead. And then he was already bowing down to her, grazing her eager lips with his, mumbling compliments under his breath.

A part of him had the nagging feeling that this felt all too familiar and that he should stop before it was too late. But it was soon swept away by the crimson mist filling his head.

His thoughts swirled, then became entangled. A storm of memories, mirages, fear and hope flicking through his half-conscious self. In the dark room, two yellow eyes were glowing.

Doctor Choi squirming underneath him, reaching for him. Her slender fingers around his throat, her breath on his lips, her tears on his skin. A look of hate. Cruor with that dismissive smirk, his filthy hand touching her, marking her as his. Screams of highest bliss. Screams of pain.

It was the following silence that cleared his head.

He sat back on his heels, panting. The room swayed around him. Where did all the red come from? And those fur gloves?

M-21 shook his head. He looked at his hands. They were splattered with blood. The woman underneath him had ten deep cuts in her chest.

He slowly backed away. His eyes still fixed on the limp body, he dressed himself mechanically.

_What the heck should I do?_, he asked himself, raking one hand through his hair, leaving a crimson trail behind.

He was calm now, void of fury. What was left was panic and the terror of what he had done.

He flinched and jumped back when he saw a shadow behind the window.

"Shit!", he cursed under his breath. "Shit, shit, shit!"

Breaking out in cold sweat, his eyes flicked between the slim white-haired person behind the glass and the woman on the bed.

"Open, you idiot!", Regis mouthed and gently knocked against the window.

Warily, M-21 crept to the wall and threw the window open. Regis jumped in with a graceful motion and gave him a look of contempt and exasperation. Then he hit him so hard that he sent him flying against the far wall. The taller man was just fast enough to throw his arm up to take the main force of the next blow.

"How I wish I was wrong about you for once, Wolfie", Regis hissed. "Can you not vent your anger on someone your size?"

"I...", began M-21. "I never...", he was silenced as the Noble hit his jaw with crushing force. Breathing heavily, he spat a mouthful of blood on the floor.

He did not fight back, merely avoided lethal blows within a hair's breadth. It had taken him just one look into Regis' eyes to realize that every attempt to speak to him now was a waste of breath.

_Perhaps, _he thought with a bitter inward smirk, _I should have rather stayed behind and trained with him. Might have spared me a lot of trouble. And her..._

He threw a gaze to the bed. The woman looked very pale. Blood was still seeping from the cuts. And then, with the image of a pale unconscious face, an idea struck him.

"Listen!", he shouted at the young Noble. "I want to help her. Please let me!"

"I think you have helped enough", Regis spat back. Surprise passed over his face when M-21 caught his hand. He looked into a pair of gray eyes, filled with resolve.

"Do you actually think I hurt her on purpose?", asked M-21. "Is that what you think of me?"

Regis eyed him for a moment silently. Then he stepped back.

M-21 found it hard to bear to look into a face so like Doctor Choi's, unconscious and splattered with blood. Regis had given him a few heavy bruises and several cuts that were still bleeding.

"I hope this works out", he pressed forth between clenched teeth as he let his blood drip into the woman's mouth. She swallowed.

Within the blink of an eye, they observed how the cuts healed up like a film in fast motion.

"Amazing!", Regis mumbled.

"That throws a whole new light on werewolf hunts", remarked M-21 bitterly. Then he straightened up. "Your show, brat. If you can convince her to sleep a bit longer, I can clean up here."

"Sure", Regis said, a bit baffled. Then he added with a smirk, "Should not take too long with your working experience."

M-21 let out a deep breath of relief when he closed the door behind the two of them. He turned around to Regis.

"How come you were here, anyway?", he asked.

The white-haired boy looked away and mumbled something inaudible. The ghost of a smile flitted over M-21's face.

"Whatever the reason, thanks for your help", he said warmly.

"Well, someone has to clean up after you, right?", replied Regis and the same smile played around his lips.

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**Note: **How did you like it? Review please!


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **I'm uploading this chapter in my pre-examination daze since I'll be horribly busy the next two weeks and it might be quite some time until the next update. Nevertheless, enjoy!**  
**

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**Chapter 45: Cure and curse**

"Are you all right, Hyun Ae?", asked Bae Kim. "You look crestfallen."

Hyun Ae looked up from her cup of tea and gave her friend a small smile. It vanished as she observed his face closely. He sighed softly and took his glasses off to clean them.

"You don't really expect any signs already, do you?", he said. "I've taken the vaccination only yesterday. No need to worry."

She nodded and looked away. Her gaze traveled over the table to the others. M-21 was laughing about something Regis had said.

_Those two are getting along better, _she thought fleetingly. She noticed Tao blinking tiredly. He looked tense and exhausted. While she was watching, he drained his cup and stood up.

She wanted to say something, but it was Takeo who spoke.

"Already going back to work?", he asked worriedly. "You should get some sleep."

"Listen to him", agreed M-21 with his deep voice. "He's the sensible one."

"Leave me alone!", snapped Tao and stalked out of the room. "This is damn important, you idiots!"

The door to his room slammed shut behind him.

A strained silence stayed behind. It seemed to Hyun Ae, although it should be impossible even for her heightened senses, that she could hear the soft monotonous humming of Shinwoo's tank in the basement.

Everybody was on edge since they had brought him. As shocked as they had been after the news of the outbreak, seeing someone dear suffer was always something else, entirely.

Frankenstein had lost the zeal for science that had been the drive behind his researches. Every free minute, he was brooding over papers. Takeo and M-21 had silently taken on Tao's share of work while he left his computer only when it was absolutely necessary. The Nobles were the only ones who seemed to be a stable parameter. Still, even their polite elegance bore a slight edge of sadness and worry.

Hyun Ae tried to remember how the atmosphere had been after Jin-Sang's death. But under influence of her own overwhelming feelings of guilt, she had not noticed the others' behavior at all. Yet something about this heavy silence felt familiar, perhaps not to her, but to a being deep within the shadows of her mind.

Leila had experienced something similar, she was sure of it. If she could just concentrate a moment longer, she might remember...

The night was filled with distant sounds of fighting. The cloudy sky a canopy of smoke, void of stars. Now and then, the wind ripped a hole in the cloud cover and revealed a pale moon, already waning.

"It will be all right, grandmother", Leila Priscilla d'Opacus said, "They will be here any second."

The woman on the ground gave no sign that she had understood. Yet it seemed to her granddaughter as if she clutched her hand a bit tighter. She felt the creatures in the distance, their lives flickering like candle flames and just as easily snuffed out.

It should not be like this. When did protection turn into defense against the protected?

She avoided looking at the charred hole that leaked blood and intestines. Instead, she fixed her eyes on the pale face of her grandmother. Two red eyes stared at the sky, pupils dilated, teeth clenched against the pain. She looked strained and old.

Leila turned around when she heard raised voices in the distance.

"I definitely do not recommend this", said a dark voice.

"You are our last hope, De Coreanus", she heard her father reply.

Two men came into view, racing towards them. The man her father had called De Coreanus was tall and muscular with a mass of black hair and beard. He looked a bit wild and she could see splatters of blood on his clothes.

"Are you insane?", he shouted as he came in sight. "This won't work, I beseech you, D'Opacus, be sensible!"

"I won't give up!", snarled the head of the Opacus clan. "If you deny me this favor, I shall force you."

De Coreanus stared him angrily in the face. Then he turned around at once.

"Fine", he growled. "But the backlash might kill her nonetheless."

With a quick movement, he slashed his arm open.

"Open her mouth, girl!", he ordered and let his blood splash on the pale lips. "Now swallow", he added, almost gently, and stood up.

Leila watched with awe how the horrible wound began to close itself. The charred skin turned rosy. The bleeding stopped.

Then her grandmother began to tremble. Convulsions shook her body and she pressed her granddaughter's hand so hard that she felt the bones grind against each other.

"What have you done?", screamed her father, white with fury.

"I did what you requested", answered De Coreanus calmly. "Her body could not take it. I had warned you. She was a remarkable Noble. She would have deserved a death in dignity. May she rest in peace."

With that, he turned around and transformed into a giant black wolf that was swallowed by the darkness of the night soon after.

"How dare you, De Coreanus!", cried her father. "I curse you! You shall feel my suffering a thousand times more!"

Leila felt the pressure on her hand lessen and when she gazed at the face of her grandmother, the crimson eyes were empty of pain and life. In the surrounding darkness, the clamors of war raged on, unfazed.

Hyun Ae blinked and looked around the room. The tea had turned cold in her hands. She set the cup down gently.

_So that's how it was?, _she wondered. _A weak reason for a vendetta. Nobles are not better than us humans, obviously. Still...I understand._

Bae's hand on her arm ended her musings.

"Shall we go down, too?", he asked.

Hyun Ae noticed only now that Principal Lee had already vanished, supposedly to check on Shinwoo. She nodded silently and followed her friend down the stairs.

She was surprised to find Principal Lee in deep conversation with M-21, an expression of intense thought on his face.

M-21 looked up for a moment when they entered the room, but resumed talking immediately, ignoring their presence. Hyun Ae threw Bae a questioning look which he returned with a raise of his shoulders.

A few minutes passed until Frankenstein finally noticed them.

"Ah, doctors!", he exclaimed, his expression alive with excitement. "We've found a new approach to the whole pox problem. I need to conduct a few experiments immediately."

"Could you please explain what you are talking about first?", asked Hyun Ae, alarmed by his sudden change in behavior.

"As you have proven yourself, there is a substance in werewolf blood that heightens wound healing, acts anti-infective and stabilizes immune reactions. If we can isolate it, we would be able not only to prevent further pox cases, but to treat already apparent infections."

Hyun Ae was speechless. Her eyes swept over to M-21 who stood next to Principal Lee, hands in his pockets, looking calm and serious. Had he just offhandedly presented them with the solution for their struggles?

"How do you know it works on normal humans?", she asked.

"A good question", commented Bae and all heads turned to M-21. A hint of distress grazed his face.

"It has been used in this way before", he replied. "I think the members of the Coreanus tribe can confirm that."

"What about the backlash?", continued Hyun Ae.

"What backlash?", asked M-21 with honest surprise. "I did not know there was one."

"Well, now you know!", snapped Hyun Ae. "Forget the whole thing. It is way too risky."

"What's with you, Hyun Ae?", asked Bae, a hint of anger in his voice. "This is an unequaled possibility, we can't dismiss it without even trying!"

"Exactly", agreed Frankenstein. He regarded the woman closely over the rim of his glasses. His blue eyes glinted dangerously. "I do get the feeling that you reject this chance merely because you do not like who offered it."

"Ridiculous!", hissed Hyun Ae. "You're blinded by euphoria. There have never been easy solutions in medicine, heed my words! There's bound to be a catch. I won't allow it!"

"Listen to reason, Hyun Ae", pleaded Bae. "Let's calm down and analyze the facts. Evidence points to the existence of such a useful substance. We need to confirm whether it is truly existent, whether we can extract it and reproduce it. Only then can we start to test its effect. We can do no harm until then. Well, except that we'll need a bit more blood", he added with a gaze to M-21.

"I respect your professional opinion", said Frankenstein coldly. "But you do not have the authority to forbid or allow experiments that take place at _my_ laboratory. If you want no part in our researches, you can leave right now."

"No", mumbled Hyun Ae, bowing her head. "I don't want to leave. I am sorry. I overreacted. It just seems too good to be true, right?" She straightened up. "If we're going to do this, shouldn't we ask the Coreanus tribe for help?"

"_Non! Impossible!", _exclaimed Henri de Coreanus. "_Je suis désolé_, but we cannot do that."

"Why?", asked M-21.

"You should not need to ask that", replied Cassia, shaking her head. "History speaks for itself."

"Once they realize the potential they will get greedy", said Henri, calming down somewhat. "And it cannot be artificially reproduced. It has been tried before. _Laisse tomber_."

"I see", said M-21, disheartened. "We could still try applying it in secret, though."

"That might work out", said Cassia. "But only as long as the number of infected stays manageable. And if their condition is too critical it is no option. The backlash would kill them."

"The backlash", repeated M-21 softly. "Doctor Choi was talking about that. Can you tell me about it?"

"The backlash can always occur when a non-werewolf ingests our blood", explained Henri. "It appears unpredictably, but more often the more critical the injuries are. It might be a natural reaction of the body against the foreign substance. It is always rapidly lethal. _Nos sang, c'est à la fois guérison et malédiction_."

"Things do always come with a price", said Cassia. "Knowing that, do you still want our help?"

"Yes", nodded M-21. "Though I don't want to imagine what might happen if someone really died."

"Me neither", agreed Cassia and stretched her arms. "Well, shall we get going, then?"

* * *

**Note:**

_Je suis désolé_ - I am sorry

_Laisse tomber_ - Let it drop

_Nos sang, c'est à la fois guérison et malédiction_. - Our blood, it is blessing and curse alike.

Please review!


	46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **Exams are over, yay! So here's your new chapter. Sorry that it's so short, but I think I might post another one by the middle of next week. Enjoy!**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 46: Sunset**

The sky was a lake of blood, the shores clouds of darker red. The sun was sinking, already dim, half-covered by a line of trees in the distance.

Crombel lowered his glass and the scenery seemed tinged in green until his eyes had adjusted.

"I think we gave them enough time, don't you think, M-101?", he said thoughtfully.

He took a sip of his wine and swirled the remains in the glass, absent-mindlessly gazing into the liquid as if it held answers, an ancient prophecy maybe.

As the world outside began to darken rapidly, his reflection in the glass became more pronounced. He gazed a moment at his mirrored self, contemplating the tall gray-haired man. Then he toasted himself with a smirk and turned around.

His fingers knocked softly on glass when he passed the tank. The person inside did not respond.

"But it would be no fun if we did not give them at least the hint of a chance, would it?", said Crombel and sat down behind a large desk. "I should inform them of the current situation. And they might like to hear from you, M-101."

"Huh? Doctor Choi? What are you doing at my house? And why're you crying?"

"You are at _my_ house", said Frankenstein with a smile. "She is crying because she is very happy."

"Why would that be?", asked Shinwoo and sat up in bed, ruffling his already unkempt hair. He grinned when he spotted M-21 in the background. "Hi there, Ajussi! Long time no see!"

M-21 gave a slight smile and raised his hand.

"How about we fetch your friends to visit?", he proposed. With a quick look at the Principal, he added, "If it's safe already."

Frankenstein nodded and so he went upstairs to spread the good news.

When Yuuna, Ikhan and Suyi arrived, they found their friend residing amidst the other inhabitants of the house, still a bit pale, but already stuffing himself with Seira's food. He grinned from ear to ear the moment he saw them.

The grin was swiped away by confusion when the girls broke out in tears.

"S-stupid, Shinwoo!", sobbed Yuuna. "W-worrying us so much!"

"W-we thought you were gonna d-die!", cried Suyi.

"Well, you had us really worried", said Ikhan, a bit embarrassed. "But it's good to see you up and about again."

They settled down beside Shinwoo and were soon laughing as if nothing had happened.

"By the way, where's Tao-hyung?", asked Ikhan suddenly.

Just as Takeo began to explain, the door to Tao's room flew open and he rushed out, a harried expression on his face.

"Come here!", he called. "You need to...", he stopped himself in the middle of the sentence when he saw the children huddled on the sofa, around a beaming Shinwoo. He relaxed visibly.

"Now that's at least one bit of good news", he smiled. "Nice to see you up, kiddo. Though I'm afraid my news ain't that good."

"I found a schedule", said Tao once everyone had gathered in front of his computer. "And a map." He displayed it on the screen. There were seven red dots spread over a map of South Korea.

"It's airports", remarked Ikhan in the silence.

"Yeah", nodded Tao. "Cheonju, Gwangju, Incheon, Jeju, Muan, Gimhae, Yangyang. They will be there, boarding a plane, tomorrow evening. The carriers."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

"What are you talking about?", asked Shinwoo. "Who's gonna be there?" He coughed twice and everyone twitched and turned to look at him.

"The Organization made people that can carry the pox virus without any signs", explained Bae Kim. "They want to spread it all over the world. Or so it seems."

"Tomorrow", said Hyun Ae with a hollow voice. "That's not enough time. It's impossible to spread the vaccination or the antiserum fast enough. We were too slow."

"Is there any more information about the carriers?", asked Frankenstein.

"No", replied Tao. "It was already near impossible to find this much. The security is too tight."

"No security is tight enough for me", said Ikhan and pushed his glasses up with resolve. "I'll help you. Together we might be able to find out more. I don't really understand what this is about. Only that a hell lot of more people could suffer through the same things as Shinwoo did."

"We need to split up", said M-21. "At least one person with fighting abilities should go per carrier. You girls and Doctor Kim stay here and try to distribute the medicine as fast as possible. I'll go ask Henri and Cassia for help. We need to figure out how to identify them until tomorrow. The exact time, Tao?"

"9 p.m.", answered the black-haired man. "I'll check which flights are scheduled for that time, might narrow it down a bit."

"Uncle Henri, Aunt Cassia!", cried a dissonant voice.

Cassia threw open the window to allow the two disheveled boys to tumble in. They were panting heavily, their breaths coming nearly in synchrony.

"What happened to you, boys?", asked Henri.

"It's Cruor", coughed Nox.

"He's been captured", breathed Noceo.

* * *

**Note: **Reviewreviewreview!


	47. Chapter 47

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long wait! My netbook kicked the bucket and I was busy trying to fix it. Now I'm using my mother's PC for the meantime. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 47: Rationality**

"I need your help", said M-21 as soon as Cassia opened the door.

"_Non_", replied Henri who had appeared behind her. "_Nous avons besoin d'aide_."

"You?", asked M-21 confused. "For what?"

"Come on in", said Cassia. "We'll explain."

M-21 walked inside and nodded at the twins who sat side by side on the sofa. He was not surprised since he had smelled their presence a considerable time ago. He sat down across from them.

"I take it you have something to do with it?", he said.

"We do indeed", they answered as one. "Well, I never perceived him as stupid, you know?", Noceo remarked to his brother.

"Who's stupid, you brats?", M-21 mumbled under his breath, but stood up to help Cassia fetch the tea.

"I'd like you to know that I was against involving you", said Cassia and blew into her cup. She glanced at Henri. "But he's all 'it's his duty as a member of the tribe' and so on."

"_Bien entendu_ it is your choice in the end", Henri hastily added.

"I will agree to choose once you finally tell me what this is all about", said M-21, getting impatient. "Since I'm in kind of a hurry, myself."

Henri sighed and set down his cup. "Cruor has disappeared", he stated.

_And good riddance!, _M-21 wanted to say, but managed to hold himself back.

"So what?", he growled instead.

"We have cause to believe he was abducted by a certain organization", said Henri.

M-21 huffed angrily. "And that makes it my responsibility, right?"

"See?", said Cassia. "I can understand his reaction perfectly well. The way Cruor has acted..."

"Is not the issue here!", Henri interrupted her. "Listen up, M-21. I know you two were not exactly friends. But he is part of our tribe and we help each other out."

"Good for you", spat M-21 and stood up. "I simply don't see what _I_ have to do with your 'tribe thing'."

"_Si tu veux oú ne veux pas_, you are a member of the tribe as certain as Alan was our leader!", shouted Henri, his cheeks burning with anger.

"You can't force me to do anything", hissed M-21 coldly. "For the last time: I AM NOT ALAN!"

"That is good", said the eerie voice of the twins and made everyone focus their attention on them. "We were worried that you did not know who you were. You seem to know it now. Also, as noble as it would be to help Cruor out of obligation, you have no reason to. Yet you should consider the consequences of your idleness."

"True", said M-21. "I know what you want to say. That's what made me so angry. You pretend to give me a choice even though you know I don't have one. I can't let the Organization possess another werewolf's heart. I can't imagine what Crombel might do with the information he gathered during my last stay with him."

He sat down again with a sigh. "If I help you, will you promise to help me?", he asked.

"If it is within our power, we will", replied Henri, calm now.

"I will go right now", said M-21 after they had let him in on the facts. "The longer I tarry the weaker the track will become. You will tell the others?"

"Sure", nodded Cassia. "As soon as we find those carriers, we'll hurry to help you. Stay safe until then."

"I'll try", answered M-21 and swung himself up to the roof. They heard his hasty footsteps as he set out into the cool evening.

Cassia leaned out of the window for a few minutes, following his movements until he was out of sight. The wind tugged at her blond hair. Worry tugged at her heart.

"Without a proper goodbye, he disappears", she said softly. "He is very much like Alan, that way."

"He will come back", said Henri. "___Bien sûr_."

"You are a bad liar, Henri", said Cassia sadly and closed the window. "Your voice trembles. Let us go."

"How could you send him away in a moment like this?", raged Hyun Ae.

"Do I hear a slight tone of worry?", drawled Regis. "Or are you simply angry because he does not help _your_ cause? Seems more likely since you 'won't speak to him', right?"

Hyun Ae threw the white-haired Noble a gaze that spoke of how betrayed she felt by that remark.

"_Voilá_, Cassia!", barked Henri de Coreanus. "This is about _le chasse_, is it not? We should never have allowed it! And to think Cruor gave his word as a tribe member not to involve innocent humans!"

"It was a mistake, I grant you that", replied Cassia, tossing her blond hair. "But he was not exactly innocent, was he?"

"What are you talking about?", asked Hyun Ae, all color drained from her face. "How do you know Cruor?"

"He is a member of our tribe, _évidemment_", replied Henri. "Ah, _non_! He would not have kept that from you!"

"Evidently, he did", said Cassia and stretched out her hand to calm the trembling Hyun Ae.

She knocked the hand away. "Don't touch me!", she hissed. "You..."

"Beast? Monster?", mocked Cassia. "Say it out loud so everyone can hear you. You are so hypocritical, you humans. I almost pity you, even though you took my love from me."

"You...", breathed Hyun Ae, baffled. "Why would you say that? It's not as if he's with me."

"Which would be impossible, since I was talking about Alan", said Cassia coldly. "How often did I curse myself for gloating that night in front of Alan, that this bitch had finally gotten what she deserved. How often did I wonder what might have held him back, only coming to the conclusion that nothing would suffice." Her voice shook, but her gaze was firm when she looked into the other woman's face. "Is history bound to repeat itself? Will M-21, like Alan, pay for trying to safe the one he hates? I hope not."

Hyun Ae stood silently, overwhelmed by this enormous revelation, confused by her own feelings of anger and despair.

_What have I been doing this whole time?, _she asked herself. _What have I been thinking? How could I trust a stranger who had such an obvious motive to drive M-21 from my mind? Instead of doubting his words, I threw myself into his arms without ever hearing M-21 out. How could I have been so stupid? Has the loss of Eddie blinded me to all reason? _

_How different I must think of him now, patiently enduring my fury, knowing I was deceived yet unable to correct my mistake. _

_I must speak to him._

"Give me one of those transmitters you developed for Tao, Principal. I trust you can do this without me", said Hyun Ae.

"No, Doctor Choi", said Regis suddenly. "You stay here. I will go."

Hyun Ae stared at him as if he was a rather dim-witted child. Then, as his words sunk in, her expression softened.

"Would you know where to go?", she asked. With a sigh, without waiting for his answer, she said: "No, only I know where Crombel is. I am selfish. I think this is my responsibility. And he will be pleased to make me suffer. We should not offer him the opportunity to lay hands on another Noble. I will go."

In the upheaval around Doctor Choi, a conversation in low voices went unnoticed.

"No, Frankenstein", said Rai, his voice even as ever.

"But master!", protested the blond man. "The Organization and especially Crombel, is my responsibility. Only I can stop him."

"What have you to gain apart from his elimination?", asked Rai. "Will you rob them of their chance to self-awareness?"

"And if they do not succeed?", asked Frankenstein, a pained expression on his face.

"It will have been worth the try", replied Rai. "You should know best that humans always strive for improvement. Immortal beings should do so all the more. I trust them. At least one of them."

"Understood, master", said Frankenstein.

M-21 watched the landscape flit by, overlaid by his own pale reflection in the glass. He felt tired, worn out from the constant tension that had filled the house during the past weeks. The smell of illness, the cold glances from Doctor Choi, worry about Tao's sleep deprivation.

Just this morning, he had donated another batch of blood for the antiserum. He knew it should not matter, his body would have replaced the amount hours ago, but he felt a weakness in his muscles he could not explain.

_Is this only my lacking resolution?, _he wondered. _I'm doing this only out of obligation, after all. I could throttle this bastard for letting himself get caught. As if we had not enough problems already. Ah, perhaps I should do this for Doctor Choi, being noble and all...hmph! At least scoring off Crombel will be fun._

He pushed himself up from his seat when the train screeched to a halt. He slipped out with the other travelers who scattered fast, while he tarried behind on the platform, sniffing.

A hot feeling welled up from his stomach and it took him a moment to realize it was anger and not nausea. That superior glance in yellow eyes flashed up in his memory and it still made his teeth clench. He sniffed again and with a low growl sped up to follow the track.

Darkness had settled around him. The track was leading away from the center of town, towards the outskirts, a wide hilly grassland. In the distance, a few lights blinked dimly behind shaded windows. M-21 picked up his pace, knowing he was nearing his goal. He stayed alert, trying to catch all signs of life or observing technology as he neared the building. The night cloaked his approach.

There were a dozen of guards patrolling the grounds and protecting the entries.

M-21 crouched down under cover of thick shrubbery and observed their movements, more smelling than seeing their position in the darkness. He would have to eliminate at least two of them quickly without alarming the others.

His pulse hammered excitedly. Inside him, the beast raised its head, sensing prey.

He tried to calm himself down.

_I won't kill anyone, _he thought, balling his fists. He winced at the pain when his claws dug into his own flesh, but his head became clearer. _Except Crombel, maybe, _he added grimly while he approached the far end of the building under cover of the night.

_That was easier than I imagined, _M-21 thought as he pushed the window shut behind him.

A wave of unbidden memories threatened to flood his mind the moment his nose told him that, indeed, Crombel was in the building somewhere.

But he would have to wait until later. Cruor's scent led him down the opposite direction.

The balaclava he had taken from one of the guards smelled of cigarette smoke and shaving foam. The whole building stank of disinfectant. He felt nauseous.

Still something drove him forth, gave him the calmness to greet other guards and scientists scuttling by with a curt nod.

M-21 slowed down when he approached a large white door. He had a maddening feeling of déjà vu: a similar door had led to the laboratory where he had first met Alan de Coreanus.

And just like back then, the door slid open as he neared it.

He cautiously stepped through, checking for security cameras out of the corner of his eyes. The door closed behind him with a hiss. Behind the green waters of a large tank, he could see the blurred silhouette of a person moving.

"I've been waiting for you", said Cruor.

* * *

**Note: **

_Nous avons besoin d'aide_ - We need help

_Bien entendu_ - Of course

_Si tu veux oú ne veux pas_ - If you want or not

___Bien sûr_ - Surely

Hope you liked it. Reviews make me happy^^!


	48. Chapter 48

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **My PC's working again, thanks to my genius of a brother! Updates will be more regular from now on, though I have to tell you that we're slowly nearing the end. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 48: Everyone's thoughts**

"So Takeo will go to Cheonju, Seira to Gwangju, Regis to Incheon, Cassia to Jeju, Henri to Muan, the twins will take Gimhae and I myself will take care of Yangyang", said Frankenstein.

"You kids stay behind with Master, Tao and Doctor Kim", he added and silenced Shinwoo's weak protest with a glance.

"Will the connection hold despite the distance, Tao?", asked Takeo worried, adjusting his headset.

"Sure, sure", mumbled Tao absent-mindedly. Ikhan sat beside him, his fingers flying over the keyboard, mirroring the black-haired man's expression of utter concentration.

"Just make sure you send us pictures as soon as you find them", said Cassia. "I don't think we can depend on mere smell for this."

"What worries me most is what to do once we found them", commented Henri, stroking his chin. "How do we stop them without creating a commotion?"

"Use this", replied Frankenstein and threw him and Cassia an object that looked like a small pistol. "It shoots potent tranquilizer darts. Pose as a doctor or a relative after the carrier's collapse. I'll pick you up in a helicopter as soon as possible."

"Is it okay to let Takeo go?", asked Bae suddenly. "He is neither a Noble nor a werewolf. Won't he be affected?"

"I'll take the risk", said Takeo with a smile. "And if I catch it, be sure to give me the antiserum, okay?"

Bae nodded silently. The place where they had injected the vaccination still felt a bit raw, reminding him of his own little fight that he had thankfully won.

The Principal handed out keys for those who could drive and they left the house in small groups, their faces barely hiding the exertion they all shared, fearing what might happen should they fail.

When the door had fallen shut behind them, Bae looked around the room and found himself forced into the role of the leader of those left in the house.

He took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up. He clapped his hands.

"I propose we make ourselves a cup of tea or coffee and then I'd like everyone available to accompany me down to the lab. I'll show you what to do."

The sun was already up when Hyun Ae was finally nearing the location where Doctor Crombel must be.

_I should have taken the train, _she regretted for the third time already. _It would be a real bummer if I got there and Crombel's not where they keep Cruor. _

_What's the plan, anyway, Hyun Ae? You've been running hours and hours and still nothing useful came to mind? That's pathetic! Perhaps I should just take Crombel by surprise and kill him off? Ha, now that would be _real _murder. As if you could manage that, Hyun Ae. Could you not...?_

"What am I doing here?", mumbled Cassia while she changed lanes at high speed.

_Why am I trying to help those humans?, _she asked herself. _Did we not stop protecting them the moment they turned on us? Shall we solve their own wars for them?_

She sighed and wiped a blond strand out of her eyes. Her thoughts strayed first to Alan, then to M-21.

_I am doing what you asked me to do, _she thought. _Will this turn out to be the right thing? Should I not haste after you, keeping you from bringing ruin upon yourself? _

"Curse that French bastard Henri!", she growled and hit the steering wheel with a tightly balled fist. "Always thinks he's so clever."

"Why do you think humans do such things?", asked Nox in a low voice.

Noceo observed his twin silently and leaned back in his seat. "It is about power. Everything humans do is about power."

"What about helping each other out?", asked Nox. "They do that, too."

"If you help someone, this person will be in your debt", replied Noceo.

"Neh, I think you're too harsh, brother", said Nox and leaned back, too. "They do have their nice sides. Only in some people, it's underdeveloped."

"Hm, I guess", mumbled Noceo.

"Hey, you sleeping? You can take a nap once this is over!", whispered Nox and nudged his brother.

"I'm not sleeping", snapped Noceo. "Stop nagging me. And if you worry about those humans so much, you should worry even more about Uncle Cruor."

"Yeah", answered Nox, subdued. "I wonder how he's doing."

"Though he was in a strange mood when we left", said Noceo softly. "Like he hadn't been rending his anger for quite some time. Ready to snap any moment."

"I don't need to speak out loud what we're both thinking, brother", said Nox. "But let's concentrate on the task at hand, first."

_We need to get this over with as fast as possible, _thought Regis. _I have a bad feeling about this. And I did not even tell the others that M-21 lost control like that. I should have at least told Seira. _

_I wonder what grandfather would have done? Should I have forced Doctor Choi to tell me Crombel's whereabouts? Well, she was right that it would have been a disaster if he had caught me. Provided that he had managed to do that..._

He tugged at the base-cap Shinwoo had lent him to cover up his unusual white hair. He was relieved that the other passengers ignored him.

_How are those two doing?, _he asked himself. _Have they already reached the facility? _

_Are you fighting, M-21? You could not even win against that ugly fish-mouth. I want to support you now as well._

_I guess I have grown a little too accustomed to your presence._

Regis smiled for a moment, sadly. Then he shook his head and tried to concentrate on his mission.

"Please leave me alone, sir", said Seira politely.

"But won't you be lonely without me?", leered the man and bowed nearer to her.

"I will not", replied the woman, now with a hint of ice in her voice. "And I will not repeat myself."

The man only grinned and reached out to place his arm around her shoulders. But before he could do so, a hand had grabbed it, twisted it and forced it on his back.

"Are you deaf, man?", hissed the young man who had stopped him. He was dressed in a school uniform, not unlike those from Ye Ran High. "She said to leave her alone. Now get lost!"

He yanked the man up from his seat and pushed him down the corridor. The man cursed, gave him an angry look, but dared not turn back.

"Thank you", said Seira and gave the student a small honest smile.

He blushed and stuttered, "You're welcome."

"Those old bastards are a real pest", he commented and picked up his bag that he had dropped earlier. "Have a save trip!", he said and walked away with a last friendly smile.

_I hope the kids do not have any trouble, _thought Seira worried. _And I hope Doctor Choi is still all right. Her soul is such a fragile little thing..._

"_J'espère_ that was not my exit ramp", said Henri de Coreanus to himself as he sped by. "I should have taken the train."

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was still on the right way.

_What am I not doing for this boy?, _he thought. _He has the very same talent to attract trouble as Alan had. _

_Cassia was right that it was not the right moment to tell Cruor about him. Am I growing old and stupid? Should we have sent him after Cruor? Should not I have gone instead? Ah, but I never had Alan's passion for fighting. With words, yes, but the claws have become dull. _

_What are we to do if he does not return? I have grown weary of discussing it with Cassia. She will have to take responsibility, then._

He sighed softly, flinched and brought the car onto the exit ramp with screeching wheels. A chorus of horns accompanied him.

"I really should have taken the train", he murmured.

"Hurry up, Tao", mumbled Takeo, checking his mobile for the umpteenth time.

_Sorry to rely on you this much, _he thought apologetically. _Have you even slept the past days? I do wish I was more useful. I'd rather help M-21. Wonder what he'll do with Crombel. I have no clue what I'd do should I ever meet Doctor Arith again. I cannot forget the her who pretended to be my sister. Yet she was only doing it to manipulate me. _

_We should not have let Doctor Choi go. If she is captured, they will use her to manipulate M-21. _

_Hurry up, Tao, so we can run to help him!_

"Add entry: 5p.m. Everyone is on their way to the designated places. Still no further information on the modified carriers. I cannot shake off the idea that something is wrong. How convenient that this problem should keep all of us busy the moment a werewolf is abducted. Is it a trap or a decoy? We cannot afford to doubt the information. Again, how very convenient. The whole plan seems too crude for a man of Crombel's caliber. What is he really plotting? How will he really spread the virus? What will he do with the werewolf? I should not be here chasing phantoms. I wish master had more faith in me. In sight of Yangyang airport. End of entry."

* * *

**Note:**

_J'espère_ - I hope

I realize that this is kind of a filler chapter, but I hope you liked it nonetheless. Please review!


	49. Chapter 49

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 49: Anemia**

_A want of hemoglobin, the transporter for oxygen in the blood, leaves the organs short of this essential gas. For a while, if the drop is not too sudden, this can be compensated by an overproduction of red blood cells and change to anaerobic metabolism. Anemia can result from a lack of iron or vitamin b12, bleeding and many diseases that compromise the production of red blood cells including leukemia. In mild cases, fatigue, pallor and cardiac murmurs are observed, severe anemia however, will ultimately lead to organ failure and thus, death._

"Welcome home, Pandora", said Doctor Crombel. "You did not expect to enter unnoticed, did you?"

Hyun Ae twitched and slowly turned around. She could have sworn the corridor had been empty just before.

Yet here he stood, right behind her, smirking, hands leisurely stuffed into his pockets.

Of course, she should have been prepared. She had been following the connection he had implanted into her, after all. It would have had to lead her eventually to him.

She had hoped... hoped to find Cruor or at least M-21 before he noticed her. She realized how foolish that had been.

She turned around fully and smiled at him.

"I cannot say I am happy to see you", drawled Hyun Ae. "And neither should you be, considering how you cursed me last time we parted."

Crombel waved his hand dismissively. "Let the past rest", he said. "We scientists do live for the future only. And I have quite an interesting new experiment to show you."

He gently pushed her in the direction he had come from and lightly touched a door to the right. It slid open to reveal a spacious room, much like the office from which she had fled from their last meeting.

M-21 stayed silent as Cruor stepped into the open and glared at him.

_Something is off, _he thought while he observed the red-head's movements and sniffed the air, heavy with disinfectant. _Why is it that I feel like taking a step back? Why do I feel so tense confronting a man who has clearly been proven weaker than me before? I feel like back in the day when I was a measly agent for the Organization and Jack was snarling at me, grinning, knowing he could squash me like a bug. _

"You had them modify you", stated M-21 blandly, managing, for now, to contain his horror. He let out a short and bitter laugh. "I wouldn't have imagined you'd be as stupid as I have been."

"SHUT UP!", barked Cruor, his yellow eyes flickering feverishly. He slowly advanced on M-21. "I'm not like you. I was the superior being from the beginning. I'll show you."

Before the last syllable had died away, M-21's face was sprayed with blood. A shimmering claw quivered a mere millimeters from his left eye, having completely pierced the forearm he had thrown up to block the blow.

He jumped back, gasping with shock and sudden pain. But now he was prepared. That first attack had shown him that this was no longer a game of testing their strength. This was serious. Cruor was aiming to kill.

He twisted away and pushed up with his healthy arm to redirect another near-fatal blow. In his mind, he tried to fight the excitement of battle and stench of blood that were beginning to fog his head.

_Stay focused, _thought M-21 frantically. _I came here to save Cruor, not to kill him. I need to knock him out. I..._-

A crushing kick to the head stopped his train of thoughts and had him concentrate wholly on the fight for a while.

Painfully slow, M-21 started to get the upper hand. It might have been due to his training, or the blind frenzy in which Cruor was attacking, but he was starting to read his movements, working on a counter-strategy to beat this physically stronger enemy.

While M-21 was struggling to gain control, Cruor was relishing the fight, his pulse pounding in his ears, the deep rhythm to this dance of death.

He had always tried to embrace his fighting instincts, to get to the point where every movement came naturally, no wasted energy, a simple chain of action and reaction. He was breathing in the smell of his enemy's blood and sweat, it bore the sweet taste of victory. He grinned.

And then, suddenly, his legs were swiped away and he was on his back. Razor-sharp claws were pointed at his throat.

M-21 breathed heavily. It had taken all his concentration to notice this slight moment of inattention and make use of it. If wanted to kill the other man, this was his chance. He just had to push his hand down and he would be rid of him forever.

_'I killed him in the heat of battle', _he heard himself say._ 'He attacked me like a madman.' _

But he could see the others shaking their heads and averting their eyes.

Instead, he tensed his other arm to knock Cruor out. His hesitation, a mere millisecond, meant his ruin.

He was hurled through the room and skidded across the floor until he could pick himself up, only to realize that he had, once again, underestimated his enemy. While he had mobilized his last reserves to gain the upper hand, the other man had merely been toying with him, holding back his strength to prolong the fight.

He was no longer fighting a man nor a werewolf. The beast that was pressuring him now and leaving gaping wounds with every attack, had the size of a fully-grown lion, two massive horns on its forehead and its claws were crimson with blood. The yellow eyes betrayed no more human emotion, they were burning with hatred and lust to kill.

_Crombel will be delighted at this opportunity to collect data on his new creation, _M-21 thought fleetingly. _Such a pity that Rai won't come and save me this time._

His limbs were beginning to feel numb and heavy. A trickle of blood dripped from his eyelashes and blinded him for a moment, forcing him to dodge hastily, colliding with the hard edge of an examination table.

An idea struck him and with the next twist, he looked around for the large tank he had seen upon entering the room. If it shattered, it might mean a little distraction, perhaps enough to deal the decisive blow. He just had to hold up until he got there.

As he threw his body in direction of the tank, dodging and blocking desperately, a heavy tiredness seized him and for a moment, the room blurred and he heard only the rush of his own blood in his ears.

M-21 stumbled and the last thing he saw as his vision cleared, was a giant mouth full of sharp teeth, opened to tear him apart. All conscious thought left him.

"Finally!", mumbled Takeo as he stared at his mobile. The picture of an elderly woman appeared on it, her hair tied in a tight bun, a haggard face with the faintest of smiles.

Takeo tried to memorize every detail of the face before he put his phone away and began scanning the throng of people waiting to board the flight.

He could not see her anywhere in the vicinity. He eyed the entrance to the washing rooms and the many shops.

_Should I leave this spot to search for her there?, _he wondered. _No, the risk is high that she might slip by._

So he stayed where he was, observing the people mass about, always worried he might miss the carrier. A look on his watch told him, that it was a mere ten minutes until the check-in would begin.

Nervously, Takeo's gaze jumped about the room. For the fifth time, he checked every person in the line for the scheduled flight.

_What if I've got it wrong?, _he suddenly thought, a searing wave of fear rising in his chest. He gazed up to the display panel and to the sign above the line. He checked the list Tao had sent him. Cheonju, Gate 3, Cheonju-Tokyo, 21:15.

He checked his watch again. Five minutes until check-in.

_I wish I had a ticket, _thought Takeo. _But the damn flight was already full. What if I don't find her until the check-in? I can't get past the security without a commotion._

Again his gaze wandered across the crowd. There! A tight bun, a slight frame, the right hair color!

He was pushing through the waiting people, not heeding any complaints and shouts for consideration. The lady was nearer now, only a few meters left. She made to turn around.

Takeo stopped dead. His heart fell. It was not her. The woman passed him, without as much as a glance into his face. He stood motionless. The line began to move. Check-in had begun. And he was here, amidst the crowd, he would have to hurry back to his observation point, hurry before it was too late. Mechanically, he began to move. Although he was trying to fight the feeling back with all his might, deep down he knew that he would not meet that woman here. The battle was lost.

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**Note: **Reviewreviewreview!


	50. Chapter 50

****Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

**Author's note: **Got your christmas presents yet? I'm still collecting. Here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 50: Reckoning**

"Sit down, if you please. Take a drink with me?", asked Crombel and gestured to the cream-colored leather couch.

"Might as well", mumbled Hyun Ae and sank down into the soft cushions, catching herself relaxing a slight bit. She sat up straighter and observed Crombel's back as he poured the drinks.

She was not fooling herself into thinking she might stand a chance in open combat against him. Nor would he be so cheap as to exploit this advantage. This would prove to be a battle of wills. She shivered and tried to slow her racing heartbeat.

The cushion moved when Crombel sat down beside her and pushed a tumbler with an amber liquid into her hand.

Hyun Ae nodded her thanks and took a sip. The alcohol burned its way down her throat and she closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them again, she was ready.

"So what about this new experiment you were so excited about?", she asked.

"Have a look yourself", smirked Crombel and turned the laptop around that had been sitting on the table. It was playing what looked like an observation video from one of the laboratories. The running clock in the lower corner told her that it had been recorded a few hours ago.

There was no sound, but she could clearly recognize the tall red-haired man, who walked around in the room anxiously, now and then raising his head as if to listen.

"So it's true", she whispered. "He is here."

"That", stated Crombel not without pride, "is M-101, our best enhancement as yet. He does have the potential to fight en par with me. But you will see for yourself right away."

The door to the room opened and a guard stepped in. He glanced around and pulled off his balaclava. Silver hair spilled to his shoulders.

Hyun Ae bit her tongue. Her breath had stopped for a moment and she realized by his smile, that this had not escaped Crombel's notice. She stared at the monitor, flinching as Cruor attacked. Disbelieving, she watched as the fight unfolded before her eyes.

"Still the old memory-removal, huh?", she hissed.

Crombel's smirk widened. "You are quite mistaken. The subject retained all his memories. He is attacking out of his own free will. Can you not see his hatred-fueled passion?"

The cool gray eyes gleamed as he observed her through his glasses, clearly enjoying her turmoil. He took a sip from his drink and stopped the video just as Cruor had transformed.

"He is unparalleled", said Crombel, swirling the alcohol in his glass and creating a small golden vortex. "A raw diamond. Fast reflexes, sharp instincts. A perfect killer, full of bitterness and fury."

"He is interesting indeed", Hyun Ae forced out. Her head was spinning, her innards clenching with the question how the fight had ended. Whether one of them was dead.

_Congrats, you bastard, _she thought. _You have me now. Trying to shake me up? Making me anxious, temping me to beg you to tell me where they are? _

"And here I thought M-21 was you favorite", she spat mockingly. "So easily dropped?"

"But of course _you_ are my favorite, Pandora dear", replied Crombel and caught her chin in an iron grip. He pulled her close to whisper in her ear.

"Your look right now. So full of shock and despair, trying to keep it all in. Did you know that behavior research was my specialty? How much do you hate me right now?" He licked her neck and tightened his grip painfully. "What would you give for the opportunity to kill me?"

He waited for a long moment, until he let her go. Hyun Ae bowed away from him, breathing heavily, her eyes narrowed with fury.

Crombel smiled politely and took another sip from his glass. "But in fact you do me wrong", he said nonchalantly. "All your pain is your doing. Take Edward Turgo. I was quite fond of him. A genius in his field of science. I even took him in again after he tried to run and overlooked his little escapades. You shattered the shield he had raised around his conscience. So he did me a last service. A cruel little coincidence that those two should stumble upon him before the end."

He raised his hands, shrugging. Hyun Ae stared at him. Her hand holding the glass was slowly growing numb.

"And all those scientists involved in project Pandora", continued Crombel. "Such a pity. Ah, I see you cannot follow. Shall I refresh your memory?"

Again he pushed the laptop around towards her and Hyun Ae, unable to look away, bowed nearer to watch how seventeen scientists were strangled to death by their own shadows. She could see them screaming. In her head, she remembered the screams. She remembered the elating feeling of power. Nausea seized her. She paled visibly.

"But even you would have realized that this fight between my two last M-series was about dominance and jealousy. The factor that made it escalate was you. I merely provided the location." Crombel paused, scrutinizing her frozen expression.

_Is it true?, _Hyun Ae asked herself. _Did I make things worse? I pushed them both away. I wanted to make M-21 suffer. I wanted him to pay for Eddie's death. When in fact it was my fault. And I used Cruor as a means to flee the past, just to bow out the moment I had to choose. Why would I even be worth this?_

"But don't take it too hard", said Crombel. "At least your other friends are safe."

Hyun Ae's head whipped up. "The carriers!", she exclaimed. "Don't tell me..."

"You can trust me with this", said Crombel jovially. "They never were in any danger. I like to plant a bit of misinformation here and there. Did you forget that I knew the infamous Tao of DA-5 was with you? Got to keep the competition busy."

"It was all part of the plan, wasn't it?", asked Hyun Ae.

"Not that I would have been unable to deal with so many guests", answered Crombel. "But I like a bit of privacy." He grinned and put down his glass. "Drink up, my dear, I have an offer for you."

Hyun Ae took a large gulp and felt her head starting to spin. She shook it to regain control.

"What is it?", she snapped, failing to keep an even voice.

Crombel stood up and opened his arms. "I can give you a second chance. To do it right this time. I can make you forget. All those painful memories, those wrong turns taken, I can erase them all from your mind. You will be born anew, a blank page, ready to live a better life. Does it not sound tempting?"

Hyun Ae snorted. "As if I would fall for such a cheap trick. Don't you have something better up your sleeve?" She stood up, only to realize, that her legs would not support her and her vision began to dim. From far away, she heard Crombel say: "Take your time to think it over." His laugh chased her into the darkness.

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**Note: **What do you say to Crombel's little mind games? Are they convincing? Review!


	51. Chapter 51

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **New chapter is up. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 51: Back to square 1**

M-21 awoke to the feeling of cold steel against his back.

"I am alive?", he mumbled.

"You have Crombel to thank for that!", growled a voice and Cruor bowed over him, baring his teeth.

"Not that I won't enjoy killing you slowly."

"And here I came to save you", M-21 spat back bitterly.

"You?", huffed Cruor. "Saving me? What are you trying to pull?"

"This would be an odd moment for jokes", said M-21 and tested his restraints. They held tight. "I was indeed sent here by the Coreanus Tribe to take you back."

"Hmph!", made Cruor and straightened up to walk around the examination table. "As if they cared."

"You really are an ungrateful bastard", said M-21 with contempt. "I don't care the least whether you live or die, but they are your family. They will always try to save you, even if you are such an undeserving fool."

"Shut up!", snarled Cruor and struck him in the face. M-21 shot him a look of loathing and spat a mouthful of blood in his direction. A few splatters hit Cruor's cheek. He wiped them off with his hand and licked his fingers.

"How does this feel?", he growled deeply, placing his hand on M-21's bared chest. "Feeling good?" He transformed his hand and dug his claws in, deeply. They scraped over bone. M-21 clenched his teeth.

"Shall I stop?", asked Cruor and cut deeper. M-21 gasped and panted for air. He tore at his shackles with such force that his hands grew pale and cold.

Cruor grinned, showing his sharp canines. "Hard to breath with half a lung, huh? Shall I stop?"

His claws reached quivering muscle. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled out his hand with a twist forcing a strangled cry from M-21's lips.

"Can't have you die yet, can we?", drawled Cruor.

M-21 breathed hard, sweat running from his brow.

"So silent now? Cat got your tongue?" The werewolf forced his mouth open. "How about I rip it out?" He bowed nearer and stared into steel gray eyes that gazed back with defiance. He let go.

"No, that would rid me of the delight to hear you beg for mercy", said Cruor.

"I'd rather die", spat M-21. "Than lower myself to your level."

"Always so high and mighty", said Cruor through gritted teeth. "I am your successor."

M-21 laughed. "You don't know what you're wishing for. Crombel had quite _special _uses for me. I bet he's watching right now, thinking of the olden times. Might be happy for some qualified company."

"You...!", began Cruor, but bit his tongue. "You're just trying to provoke me. You'll be regretting this, just you wait!" He turned around to leave the room.

"One thing still bothers me", M-21 shouted after him. "Who was you enemy before you knew me?"

The red-head stopped in his tracks. A painful realization struck him, that he had shoved in the dark recesses of his mind, seeing nothing but his aim to have M-21 writhing on the ground before him.

"The humans who killed our clan leader", he answered tonelessly, all sharpness erased from his voice.

"That is a thing about power", said M-21 softly. "It makes you so easily forget about things."

"People change", replied Cruor and the door slid shut behind him with a soft whirring sound.

M-21 breathed deeply and tried to assess his situation. He did not have much time, though, since the door reopened after only a few minutes. Thinking Cruor had changed his mind, he lifted his head and wanted to say something when he realized that not the werewolf, but a set of four scientists in lab coats were filing into the room, pushing a gleaming steel cart with medical equipment on it.

M-21 lay back with a soft sigh. He closed his eyes exasperated.

"Good old times", he mumbled.

The sound of screams chased Hyun Ae from her dreams to reality. She opened her eyes to her surprise still in the office where she had talked to Crombel. She lay on the couch and a soft scarlet-colored woolen blanket covered her. She sat up to find her head still spinning, though the screams had thankfully stopped. A movement caught her eye.

She stared horrified at the monitor of the laptop that was still sitting on the table. It displayed another surveillance video. The screams had not been in her head.

Strapped down to an examination table lay M-21, plastered with intravenous drips and monitoring equipment, deadly pale. His gray eyes were turned up to the ceiling, unseeing, like blind mirrors.

"He is not dead, if you are asking yourself that", said a voice in her back.

"Crombel!", she screeched, jumping to her feet.

A wave of blackness surged towards him, but he flicked it away effortlessly. Dark blots danced in front of her eyes. Crombel caught her arm and steered her back to her seat.

"Are you feeling better now?", asked the scientist in a voice of earnest concern. "Seems like the last weeks were quite stressful for you."

"Thanks to you!", Hyun Ae hissed back, wrapping the blanket around her, suddenly feeling cold.

"Since R-81 died you have not slept properly, isn't that true?", said Crombel sitting down next to her.

Hyun Ae, seeing no sense in denying it, nodded slowly.

"Those feelings of guilt are eating away at you", continued Crombel, dropping his voice to a whisper. "You won't ever be free of them, until the end of your life. Ah, how could I forget! There will be no deliverance for you, no blissful oblivion of death. You will forever be plagued by your shameful deeds."

"Stop messing with me", mumbled Hyun Ae, trying to sound defiant. Even though she knew that he had already started tearing down her weak defenses, leaving her vulnerable to his attacks. "It is none of your business how I deal with my choices. I won't let you break me."

"There is no need for me to bother with that", smiled Crombel. "You are already doing it yourself. I was merely trying to help you. I admire your scientific mind and your idealism. I don't want it to go to waste. I can rid you of this weight. I can make you pure again."

"Just forgetting about things doesn't make them undone", said Hyun Ae, finally regaining her resolve. "It just wouldn't be honest to myself. I can never again be 'pure'. Keep your devilish bargains!"

Crombel shook his head in mock sadness. "And here I thought I could motivate you to do it willingly. Really, it is your fault I have to resort to this."

He flicked softly against his ear. "Initiate phase gamma, please!", he stated calmly.

A scientist stepped into the field of vision and adjusted the infusions. A moment later, M-21 began to twitch and thrash. His eyes continued blankly staring ahead. A thin trickle of blood flowed from the side of his mouth.

"My, those nasty side-effects", sneered Crombel. "How long do you think until his brain turns to mush? I'd say you have about 15 minutes to revise your decision."

"YOU BASTARD!", screamed Hyun Ae and jumped to her feet.

Shadows flared up in the room and closed in on Crombel like a maelstrom of pure blackness, threatening to swallow him. A jet of blinding white light cut through it, aiming for Hyun Ae's head.

She threw herself out of the way, trying not to lose sight of her aim, weaving and guiding the shadows. But she was sure, from the relaxed look on Crombel's face, that he was only toying with her. He did not plan on killing her, he knew she had no chance of killing him, since she had never bothered to master the Opacus Clan's power. The idea of learning how to take lives had appalled her. Now she cursed herself for that weakness.

_Was that my damn plan?, _she thought. _Rushing here like a fool, running right into Crombel's little trap. But what should I have done instead? Would Regis be able to deal with him? Could he have fought his way to M-21 already? M-21, who is dying right now. And Cruor, what has he done to him?_

"You know it is pointless", whispered Crombel from behind her. "The longer you throw this tantrum, the higher the possibility you'll have another death on your plate."

Hyun Ae dropped her arms. The shadows went back to their harmless former selves.

"Now stop it already!", she demanded, turning around to Crombel. With bitterness she noticed that tears were stinging in her eyes.

"Abandon phase gamma", said Crombel loud and clear. "Initiate rescue protocol."

His eyes were lingering on her face, gray as M-21's but alive with malicious triumph. "I take it you will not resist anymore?", he asked.

Hyun Ae only nodded. She felt deadly tired. She did no more care for winning. She had lost long ago. The only objective left to her was to keep M-21 alive long enough for help to come. What happened to her was of no concern anymore. She kept forgetting about Cruor. It felt like betraying him. She should have been here for him. Had she been earnest to herself, she would have realized she had always only chased after M-21.

"You won't kill him, if I agree?", she asked softly.

"You have my word as a scientist", replied Crombel. "Now let us waste no more time. Follow me."

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**Note: **What do you say? Your reviews make my day!


	52. Chapter 52

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **We're nearing the dramatic climax, dear readers! Though I can't promise you to finish the story until christmas, there is at least one more chapter in the line for you. Now enjoy this one!

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**Chapter 52: Dismal prospects**

M-21 regained consciousness to the familiar feeling of floating. He did not bother to open his eyes. There was nothing here he wanted to see.

_I have failed, _he thought bitterly. _Is it something about these white and steel rooms, the smell of disinfectant and sweat that makes me weak? Do I in secret yearn to be here, the only place I aspired to live in? Am I not hoping to forget my doubts and give myself over to the Organization, killing, slicing, maiming on their behalf? Is that what lured Cruor? Does he hear the same beckoning voices in the back of his head, softly murmuring of the joy and freedom of the hunt? That rush of adrenaline, the smell of freshly spilled blood, the power to take lives, this addictive promise; the Organization welcomes it. If I went back to Crombel, he would let me experience this pleasure, unpunished, rewarded with even more power._

_And then I would have lost myself completely. I would have betrayed my comrades and the promise I made with M-24 would have been for naught. The trust Rai and the Principal have put in me, a mistake. And Doctor Choi would have been right to loathe me, all along._

A soft sound startled him. Finally opening his eyes, he saw that he had heard someone knocking against the glass of the tank. Crombel was staring up to him intently, a smile played about his lips. The light reflected in his glasses made his eyes unreadable.

_How long has he been standing there?, _M-21 asked himself. _What does he want?_

Crombel turned to the console and made a few adjustments. The water began to drain. Without its support, M-21 felt how the ordeals had weakened him. He could barely hold himself up.

The glass slid open. On shaking legs, he climbed from the tank, gripping the edge of the pane for support.

With a patronizing smile, Crombel offered him a towel. M-21 took it thankfully and began to dry himself off slowly.

"What can I do for you?", he spat with mock friendliness.

"No, no!", replied Crombel, still smiling. "The question is: what can _I_ do for _you_?"

"Easy", growled M-21. "Let me and the werewolf go and drop dead."

"So you won't help poor Doctor Choi?", said Crombel. "Aw, she will be devastated."

M-21's eyes narrowed furiously. Then his face relaxed. He cringed his eyebrows and sniffed.

Crombel stepped aside to have the furious man charge past him. M-21 stumbled and caught himself the last moment. He whirled around.

"You have Doctor Choi?", he snarled.

"She came to pay a little visit", answered Crombel. "Though I have to admit to her credit, that she had no intention to visit me."

"Let her go", demanded M-21. "You don't need her. Let her go. I'll do anything!"

"Anything?", asked Crombel and a cold spark lit in his eyes.

M-21 snorted. "How pitiful", he hissed. "Still so easily lured by that prospect?"

He let the towel slide to the floor and approached Crombel slowly. "Fine. You shall have what you want. I'll even give you a little foretaste, that's how generous I am. But if you don't let her and Cruor go, that's all you will get. How about it?"

Crombel's smile broke into a grin. "We have a deal", he said.

"Let's get this over with", said Hyun Ae and lay down on the examination table.

As a group of scientist bustled around her fastening cuffs, installing monitoring equipment and puncturing veins, Crombel stepped up to her, as ever impeccably clad in a dark gray suit.

"I would like to inform you now that your memory removal comes with a little extra", he said smoothly.

Hyun Ae pricked her ears. "What kind of extra?", she asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Just something for my amusement", replied Crombel. "I am afraid you might not enjoy it quite as much, though. You know...", he went over to the monitor and made a few adjustments. "We have this nice new biological weapon we would like to test. And it is quite tedious to find fitting carriers."

Hyun Ae's eyes widened. She tried to sit up, but found she was already unable to. "You don't mean...?"

"You have guessed it. Our little pox strain. I adjusted the incubation time a bit. If it was too short, the source would be too easily tracked. How about it? You leave this facility without memory of the past few years, I would not dare to remove your medical knowledge, that would be a tragedy. So an idealistic young doctor has traveled to the United States for some working experience in foreign countries. Around her, people start to fall ill and die. She frantically tries to find the reason for the illness and how to cure it until at last she realizes that she herself has been the angel of death for all those people. It might drive her mad."

Hyun Ae gazed into that smiling face, realizing just how horribly he had planned his revenge. She wanted to cry and beg him for mercy, but she knew there would never be clemency for her.

"Just do it", she whispered. "It's my loss."

"Indeed", said Crombel. "But I will give you the pleasure of one last night with all your memories. I hope you enjoy it!"

He left the room, humming to himself.

Around the corner, breathing heavily, stood Cruor, pressed against the wall, trying to grasp all that he had heard.

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**Note: **As you already suspected, Crombel has more sinister plans with the pox virus. How do you think Cruor will react? Review!


	53. Chapter 53

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **As a little late christmas present, a new chapter for you! And worry not, the ending is turning out so long that it will take a few more chapters still. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 53: Good old times**

Cruor clenched his jaw.

_Fool that I have been!, _he cursed himself. _How could I even think that there would be no catch? Yet the possibility to know where she is, to meet her before she knew M-21...It wouldn't have been a fair win, but perhaps I might have forgotten that she would never have chosen me?_

He balled his fists. Crombel's words echoed in his head, spoken in a tone of playful delight: _It might drive her mad. _

_When did I ever stop to desire killing him? 'Who was your enemy before you knew me?' Indeed, he has been right about me from the start. How humiliating!_

Cruor pushed himself off the wall and started walking swiftly down the corridor. _I need to get her out of here. And there's only one person I can trust to help me._

Hyun Ae was alone. A female scientist had led her to an adjoining room with a bed. Her face and the strict hairdo had felt dimly familiar, but Hyun Ae had no mind to give it much thought.

She had crawled under the crisp white covers and lay there, motionless, staring up to the white ceiling.

Her skin where the electrodes still stuck, itched slightly. She was cold, more from the inside than due to the steel table she had been lying on. Her head felt mushy, she suspected they had given her tranquilizers.

She felt strangely detached from the things Crombel had disclosed to her. It gave her a tiny spark of satisfaction since it was likely he had only told her to plague her some more.

_I have finally accepted being a selfish person, _she thought without spite. _What do I care for those poor innocent strangers who might die because of my decision in the future? I do only care for those I love. Things might have been different, had I realized that sooner. I am no perfect doctor, even if Bae wants to believe that. Good old Bae, I hope at least he is alright. _

She sat up suddenly, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Is there a flaw?", she whispered. "Is there a flaw in his plan?"

_If he doesn't want to erase my medical knowledge he will let me keep my university memories. Memories of my friend Bae. Why should I not want to contact him some time and tell him how work in the USA is? Is it true? Did Crombel not know of my connection to Bae? I do not recall Pandora ever telling him. I only told him things I deemed important. But he would have read my records. Still he would need to draw that connection. No, no, he must have considered I would have old friends. How does he plan to erase them? _

Hyun Ae sank back again, her thoughts racing. Fleetingly, she cursed her weak resolve. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself without looking back. Now such a tiny ray of hope shattered her calm.

_And if I try to leave a message here?, _she thought. _Won't the others find it and know what to do? But how can I notify them?_

She threw a gaze up to the security cameras silently observing her.

_A way to pass a message. To pass a message. Pass... _

While she was still wondering, sleep caught her unawares.

Cruor stood in front of the door and took a few deep breaths. They would have to be fast. As soon as he entered the room, Crombel would know sooner or later that he had spoken to M-21 and he would put two and two together. In fact, he suspected that Crombel had _known_ he was there while he spoke to Hyun Ae. He was interested in his reaction. He was testing him, playing with him. It only made Cruor angrier.

He touched the opener and slipped into the room, ready for an attack.

He found the gray-haired human lying on a pallet, sleeping peacefully. For a long moment, he stood there, unsure what to do and observed his adversary. He had rolled to his side, head cushioned on one hand, the blanket pulled tight around him. His chest rose and fell regularly.

With a pang, Cruor remembered how it had felt to drive his claws into that flesh. It seemed wrong, suddenly.

He approached the pallet to wake him, when suddenly a scent caught his attention. His head whipped around.

_Shit! Crombel!_

Frantically, he searched for a place to hide. He heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside. The last minute, he squeezed himself between two large machines and the wall. Through a gap between them, he could see the door opening and Crombel step into the room.

M-21 immediately woke and sat up. _Did he only feign sleeping?, _Cruor wondered.

"Well-rested now?", asked Crombel jovially.

"Well enough", replied M-21 and ran his hand through his tangled gray hair. "If I keep my word you will keep yours, I suppose", he said evenly and stood up. He was still in the black pants from the fluid tank. His muscles rippled as he flexed his shoulders.

"Indeed", smiled Crombel and took his jacket off.

_Why the heck is he undressing?, _thought Cruor. He craned his neck to get a better view on the strange expression on the scientist's face.

"You better be convincing", said Crombel, loosening his tie.

"You don't have to tell me", spat M-21 back and kissed him.

Cruor nearly choked trying to hold back a shocked gasp. Disbelieving, he stared at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes. Soon, he averted his gaze, but hearing and smelling them, he could still see all that passed vividly behind his closed eyelids.

_Is that what he meant with 'special uses'?, _he thought. _That's plainly disgusting! How can he lower himself to such a degree? It's a disgrace to Master Alan's heart...!_

He caught himself gritting his teeth and peered through the gap again, frightened Crombel might have noticed. He realized that Crombel was much too engrossed now to be aware of his surroundings.

A thought shot through his head. _What if I kill him now? He is weak and defenseless now. It's the perfect time._

But the thought had no longer formed in his head that a drawn-out moan told him that the chance had just passed.

He took a look through the gap and saw Crombel standing up, already pulling on his pants, a satisfied smirk on his face. M-21 was still on the ground, breathing heavily.

"You'll let her go tomorrow?", he panted.

"You will be able to witness with your own eyes that I keep my promises", replied Crombel and shrugged on his jacket. "I will take you up on yours."

With that, he left the room.

After he was gone, M-21 pushed himself up with some effort.

"You can come out now", he said without turning around.

Cruor emerged from his hiding-place and swallowed uncomfortably.

"Listen, I...", he began.

"What?", snapped M-21 whipping around to him. "You didn't want to spy on me? You're sorry for being such a goddamn idiot? You didn't know Crombel was a sick bastard? No, _you_ listen to _me_!"

He stalked over to the werewolf and pushed him against the wall with his flat hand.

"You knew that he had Doctor Choi and yet you did _nothing_", hissed M-21 and a golden flicker was in his eyes. "She came here because those fucking fools told her you were here. You hear? She came here for _you_! And all you do is let Crombel lay his dirty fingers on her? I thought you were just a pitiful man who has to resort to trickery to get a woman. Still, I thought she meant something to you, at least. I thought it would be alright to step back, as long as she was happy. But now...you..."

He broke off and hit the wall with such force that a large dent remained. He turned around, fists balled.

"Fuck off", he whispered with a voice of ice and steel. "I promised to take you back. It won't do to rip your head off."

"Listen", said Cruor, stretching out his arm, but not daring to touch the other man. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tricked you into killing that man. I thought he was just one of those scientists I wanted to kill anyway. I'm sorry I took Hyun Ae from you. I wanted to get back to you. I wanted to break through that unmoving facade and make you acknowledge me. I'm sorry I went here. She wouldn't come back with me. She wanted to stay with you. When Crombel said he wanted to erase her memories, I thought I would finally get the chance to be her first choice. That was foolish, I realize that now. I didn't come to mock you or anything. I came to ask you to help me get her away from here."

Anxiously, he stared at M-21's pale back. Then the shoulders began to twitch. It took Cruor a moment to realize that the other man was laughing.

"That's rich", he said and turned around to the red-head, grinning. "I'm bitching at you because I had Crombel all over me. You've been bitching at me because of your inferiority complex. We're a nice pair, ain't we?"

He clapped Cruor on the shoulder and shook his head, still smiling.

"Can you get me some decent clothes?", he said. "And then let's talk business. I had the feeling you had the same idea as me."

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**Note: **I hope you liked it. Reviews make me happy!


	54. Chapter 54

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Happy new year, dear readers! I hope you are not as sleep-deprived as I am. Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 54: Doom's eve**

The facility waited. The deep humming sound of working machines, resembling a big sleeping animal, filled every room, constant and unchanging.

The white neon light never darkened. The facility slept with open eyes. Cameras stared down into corridors and laboratories, silently recording their observations.

Heavy boots pounded tiled floors and echoed through empty halls. Clothes rustled as overworked scientists changed their sitting position, peering through microscopes and on results pages without grasping the information.

In a small laboratory, the soft clicking of a keypad accompanied the humming.

Hyun Ae worked as fast as she could. It had been a hard fight to shake off the tenacious tiredness. Now and then, her eyes threatened to close on their own accord. Even standing at the console was exhausting.

_Now that should suffice, _she thought as she saved the file information and halfheartedly tried to cipher it. _My luck that the data is stored centrally and every measuring instrument and imaging device is connected to the intranet._

She started when suddenly a voice spoke behind her.

"What would you be doing here, my dear?", asked Crombel.

"Passing the time", she replied slowly while turning around to him. She met his suspicious glare with a steady gaze of her own. "You wouldn't expect me to sleep right now, would you?"

"Indeed not", said Crombel with a smirk. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Hyun Ae wanted to snap at him, but bit her tongue. A thought formed in her head.

"Yes, you could do something for me", she said, trying to sound casually. "Show me proof that M-21 and Cruor are still alive."

"My pleasure", said the scientist and offered her his arm. "Though I do not remember that M-101 was included in our little deal."

"Not that I had planned to get rid of him anytime soon", he added after he saw her shocked expression.

Remembering the way they went proved impossible in Hyun Ae's still dizzy head. She let Crombel escort her around countless corners, through steel doors and up stairwells until they arrived again in his office with the cream-colored sofa.

She thought dimly that the facility must be a lot bigger from the inside than it seemed from the outside. A large part of it had been built underground. The artificial light chased away the conception of night- and daytime.

Hyun Ae sank down on the soft cushions, already tired from walking, like a sick person.

"Do you really think you need those benzos to keep me peaceful?", she mumbled.

"Sometimes I like to keep things easy", replied Crombel from his desk. "So I can invest the saved energy into something else. Come have a look!"

Hyun Ae forced herself to her feet and walked over to where Crombel sat to peer over his shoulder. The three monitors in front of him displayed surveillance videos. One white room was empty, the other two were occupied. M-21 lay on his back, hands crossed behind his head, calmly gazing up to the ceiling; Cruor paced the room restlessly.

She stood for a few minutes motionless, bent nearer to the monitors, observing the two men. She felt as if she had already forgotten their features, the way they moved. Would she have to decide whom to save and whom to abandon that moment, she would not have known how she would have chosen.

Her gaze fell on the timer.

"That is not sufficient", she said, straightening up.

"How so?", asked Crombel, turning around to her in his chair, hand under is chin.

"It is child's play to manipulate those videos", said Hyun Ae. "They could have been recorded ages ago. You would only have to change the timer. That won't do. I want to see them in person. I won't come quietly otherwise."

"You do realize that you are in no position to force me to do anything", drawled Crombel, putting his fingertips together.

Hyun Ae stood her ground, shoulders tensed, crossing her arms. "I do believe your little helpers would have another opinion", she hissed and bared her sharp teeth. "Seventeen scientists. Word is bound to come around."

Crombel shrugged and stood up.

"And here I thought I could make it a bit easier on you", he said with mock concern. "If they become a danger to scientific enlightenment, I shall have to terminate them."

"They don't have to see me", said Hyun Ae. "I just want to make sure they're alright. I don't give a shit for your 'word as a scientist'."

"My, my", mumbled Crombel, shaking his head.

As Hyun Ae turned around at the door, she found that he was still at his desk, typing something. While she watched, he pressed one last key and came over to her.

Out of her line of vision, the middle monitor displayed the message 'data 034Z1 erased'.

Cruor was unsuccessfully trying to calm his nerves. He hoped that Crombel might pass it off as boredom or annoyance, should he watch him pacing up and down the room.

He was scared someone might have noticed the blind spot between two surveillance cameras in the basement. A piece of metal had been wedged between their arms and the wall, rendering them immobile.

Also, even though he had affirmed to M-21 that he would be able to fight Crombel equally, he was not in the least sure of it, himself.

_Why would Crombel have created a creature more powerful than himself?, _he wondered. _He has to have an ace up his sleeve. _

In another part of the facility, M-21 was arranging his thoughts, systematically checking their plan for flaws. He was calm and collected, having conspired against the Organization for quite some time before.

_There are lots of unstable points, _he thought, slightly worried. _I should not forget that Cruor is not like M-24. I cannot rely on him too much. He is rash and inexperienced, though his plain fighting strength might make up for it. _

He closed his eyes and pictured Doctor Choi's face how he had last seen her. There had still been no warmth in her expression, she had been all business.

_I thought the prospect of a possible cure would lighten her mood. She was not in the least impressed. I wish I could ever be important enough for her to go to such lengths as she did for Cruor. _

_I should not think about this now. _

He opened his eyes and sat up. His nose twitched.

_It is enough as long as she is happy. As long as Crombel pays._

The door slid open. A tranquilizer dart flitted past him and hit the wall, useless.

"Inept, Crombel", he stated towards the surveillance camera, taking the rifle from the shocked scientist's hands. "Yet you just had to try."

"We have permission to fire, if you resist!", barked a guard from across the corridor.

"Did I say I would?", asked M-21 smiling and raised his hands. "I just prefer walking there myself."

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**Note: **What do you say? Speculations on the plan? Review!


	55. Chapter 55

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Since I'm moving next weekend and will only have internet access two weeks later, this will be the last update until then. Two more chapters to go. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 55: Morphine**

_Morphine, derived from the seeds of the opium poppy, is a capable painkiller. The drawback of dependency held doctors from prescribing it widely. Nowadays, morphine is an essential element of the WHO's graduated scheme for pain treatment especially for cancer patients. Modern drugs offer no intoxification and the question of addiction becomes pointless in medication taken permanently. While most patients suffer most under the nausea, this side-effect is treatable and will subside. Doctors are focusing more on the problem of obstipation that will not dissolve even under prolonged use of opiats. _

Only when her jaw began to ache, did Hyun Ae realize that she had been clenching her teeth anxiously. From the corner of her eye, she threw a gaze at Crombel, who stood to her left, perfectly relaxed, hands buried in the pockets of his jacket. His mouth twitched with amusement.

She noticed a moment later that he did not smile because of her nervousness, but at the two men being brought into the room.

Cruor pushed the guards away bossily, as soon as he was through the door and bared his teeth at the other man who walked in behind him, smirking, greeting him with a mocking nod.

"As you see, they are alive and well", said Crombel.

Hyun Ae put her hand against the mirrored glass and watched them silently. She swallowed.

"Alright then", she said and turned her back on them. "I have chosen already."

"Excellent", began Crombel. His next sentence was inaudible against the noise of shattering glass.

A horned demon leaped through the broken window and struck Crombel down.

While the last shards still fell, Hyun Ae saw M-21 run towards her. Behind him, six guards and two scientists lay scattered on the floor.

He screamed something at her, but the fighting sounds right behind her rendered her deaf.

When she had finally made out the words 'help him', he was already dashing past her. Whirling around, she found M-21 forcing Crombel's finger open which held a syringe with a clear liquid.

A blast of white light blinded her for a moment. When she was able to see again, Crombel was standing next to the door, swaying slightly. His left arm was dripping with blood. He tipped his ear.

"Initiate emergency protocol", he choked and stumbled through the door.

On her left, the horned demon had transformed back into Cruor, who lay on the ground, writhing with obvious pain.

"You fucking idiot!", screamed M-21 over the ear-splitting sound of gunfire, ducking and pulling Hyun Ae down with him.

"To hell with the plan!", he snarled. "Doctor Choi, go and find some painkillers so you can get him out of here. I'm following Crombel."

He made a wide leap to the door, rolled off his right shoulder and ran after the scientist.

Hyun Ae threw a gaze on the red-head on the floor. She immediately realized that M-21 had been right and he was in no condition to walk right now. Through the slivered glass, she could see more guards kneeling in the shadow of the doorways, trying to shoot them.

She breathed deeply in and out and gathered her concentration. Darkness dripped on the guards like tar pitch, immobilizing them. They screamed in horror. Hyun Ae bit her lips until she felt the coppery taste of blood in her mouth, but she did not stop. The screams subsided.

She jumped to her feet and ran over to the cabinets lined on the walls, ripping the doors open, hastily reading labels.

Finally, in the third cabinet, she found a bottle of what she needed: morphine drops. She fell to her knees beside Cruor and helped him sit up. He was breathing shallowly, his skin pale and cold with sweat.

"Open your mouth", she demanded and let 20 drops fall on his tongue until she instructed him to swallow.

Her eyes darted over to the guards, they were not moving.

"Fifteen minutes until self-destruction."

Hyun Ae's head whipped up. She tugged at the werewolf, trying to get him to his feet. He moaned, but managed to help her. He shook his head.

"What happened?", he forced out. "Where's M-21? Where's Crombel?"

"You collapsed", replied Hyun Ae, pushing him towards the door. "We have to get out of here now!"

She threw a look over her shoulder and caught a movement at the other end of the room.

"Duck!", she screamed and shoved Cruor finally through the door. Bullets drove deep holes in the wall beside them.

"Where's the exit?", she panted, struggling to stand up.

"Two floors up in this direction", answered Cruor and grabbed her hand. He was recovering with incredible speed.

They ran, the guards hot on their heels.

When M-21 came to his feet, he caught a glimpse of a running person disappearing around a corner.

"You can't escape, Crombel", he growled, breaking into a sprint. "You reek of blood."

His heart pounded madly. The scent of sweat and fear was in the air. He was hunting again. His biggest prey. The one he had wanted to kill for an eternity. Finally, the hunt had begun.

A crimson void settled on his mind. His feet pounded the floor in rhythm with his racing pulse. The world had narrowed down to a few essential things. The scent of the prey. The hasty footsteps of the prey. Senses heightened to a nearly painful degree.

Shadows flitted past. A searing pain exploded in his left shoulder. It meant nothing. A voice spoke from above. The words were meaningless. The prey was near. Another corner and he would be able to see it.

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**Note: **Surprise! The plan didn't even spring into action :P Hope you liked it anyway. Reviews make me happy!


	56. Chapter 56

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **Sorry for the long, long wait. But since I was moving, it couldn't be helped. So here's the dramatic conclusion. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 56: All he deserves**

Crombel ran towards the end of the corridor where a lift welcomed him with open doors. Inside, he pressed a button and turned to face his pursuer, giving a triumphant sneer. The doors began to close.

With a deep growl, M-21 launched himself through the gap and collided with Crombel, hurling him against the wall from the impact. Steel slid in place behind him and the lift began to rise.

Metal screeched as M-21 ripped his claws through the control panel. They came to a shaky halt.

A flicker of doubt passed over Crombel's face as he stared into two eyes glowing with an amber fire. Yet he stood tall and regained his aloof confidence when M-21 drew back slightly at the power he was emanating.

The small room was filled with so much light, that it seemed shadowless, almost two-dimensional.

Blood splattered the walls and M-21 roared with pain. His head hit the door with crushing force.

But the amber light did not cease to glow. Not heeding Crombel's attacks, he leaped at him, his fangs closing over flesh, piercing it to the bone.

Crombel managed to get his arm free and hurled the younger man across the room.

Swiftly, his healthy hand dived into the pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a vial and flipped the cap off. But the plastic slipped from his fingers, as M-21's shoulder collided with his wrist. The sound of cracking plastic was heard.

A red liquid seeped out from underneath M-21's shoe. He grinned. His lips were sprinkled with blood. He licked them.

"Not so fast", he whispered darkly, eyes flashing.

Crombel slid slowly down the wall, shaking, cradling his still bleeding arm.

"Such a...beautiful monster I have...created", choked the scientist. "Turgo must have been...proud."

"Yap as much as you want", said M-21, crouching down in front of him. "I'll watch you die, Crombel. In the end you perish like the beast you are."

"You'll never...be free of this", whispered Crombel. "Dying,...I'll stain you...eternally."

"If anyone ever deserved to die, it's you, Crombel", M-21 whispered back, smiling.

"And here...they thought...you'd changed", coughed the scientist. His gaze lingered on the younger man's face, watching, waiting for his reaction.

The gray eyes blazed golden again.

"I won't fall for your cheap tricks!", snarled M-21, standing up. He looked over to the control panel. The lift was stuck one floor beneath ground floor.

"Only...the truth...doth sting so deep", breathed Crombel.

M-21 stared down on his fallen foe. His blood roared in his ears, but his mind was clear again.

He transformed his arms and cut through the steel doors. With a deafening rumble, two large pieces fell to the floor.

The corridor beyond was empty.

"Five minutes until self-destruction."

M-21 grabbed Crombel's left ankle and and dragged him with him to the next door. He cut it open and saw that it led to a large laboratory.

"What...are you...planning?", choked Crombel when he was unceremoniously flung onto an examination table. Steel cuffs clicked shut. He craned his neck to see what the other man was doing. He could only hear him rummaging around.

"You made a mistake", said M-21 from behind his head. Crombel noticed a soft gurgling sound.

"You underestimated Edward Turgo", continued M-21. "He managed not only to give us information about the pox virus, but a lot of other things, too. The whole of his research."

He paused to rip a long wound into his forearm. The blood dripped on Crombel's face.

"Swallow", ordered M-21 uncaring. "It's your second chance."

He rolled a drip stand over. A small brown bottle jingled in its holder, a line already attached.

While Crombel watched with fascination how the wound on his arm healed, he barely felt the prick of a needle in his other arm. But notice he did.

"What are you doing?", he asked, pulling at the cuffs.

"Giving you a second chance", replied M-21, smiling benevolently. "Turgo had become a specialist for artificial amnesia. He developed a mixture for complete, permanent memory-removal without harm to daily living activities and social interaction. It was never tested, though. You are a pioneer, _Doctor_ Crombel. Are you not proud to experience such a new development first-hand?"

"One minute until self-destruction."

"No!", cried Crombel. "I can't lose all those findings! No, don't..." His voice dwindled away as he lost consciousness.

M-21 shook the bottle to get the last few drops out then ripped open the cuffs, threw Crombel over his shoulder and ran for his life.

Hyun Ae and Cruor were crouching under cover of a thicket of thorny shrubbery, watching the building empty like a formicary that someone had stirred up. Heavily armed guards tried to bring some order into the swarms of scientist milling about with blowing white coats, desperately clutching their most important documents.

While they still watched, the staff was consigned into an armada of trucks and inconspicuous vans. They drove away with screeching wheels.

"Thirty seconds until self-destruction", was blown over to them by the wind, nearly inaudible.

"Perhaps he got out in the back?", asked Hyun Ae, worriedly, peering over to the facility.

Cruor shook his head.

"He's still inside", he said. "His scent would be much stronger, otherwise. They must be fighting. Crombel's helicopter isn't gone yet."

Hyun Ae followed his look and saw the black vehicle hovering on the roof like a giant firefly, beating its dark wings.

"Ten seconds until self-destruction."

A shudder went through the helicopter and it slowly began to ascend. The pilot had determined that he had waited long enough.

"8...7...6."

"What if he can't get out?", shouted Hyun Ae over the helicopter's noise. Her hair was momentarily whipped across her eyes, blinding her.

"4...3..."

"I would be pretty disappointed", replied Cruor, standing up, sniffing. "He's coming. But he's not alone."

"2...now initiating self-destruction."

A shadow crashed through a window, immediately followed by a firestorm.

Hyun Ae cried out and sprinted towards the building, but Cruor was faster than her.

He bowed over a fallen body, but his expression was one of utter amazement.

He looked around and spotted something a little way off.

"Pack leader!", he shouted.

Hyun Ae stared down at the person to her feet with confusion. The tuft of gray hair had fooled her. Her eyes widened. She knelt and turned the unconscious body around. The man was still breathing, albeit shallowly.

"Crombel?", she whispered. "Why is he still alive?"

Her face changed from shock to cold fury. A wave of hatred welled up inside her. Her hands closed around the man's neck.

"You should not be alive", she muttered.

Stertorous breathing rang in her ears. Her heart pounded slow and heavy. A pulse fluttered weakly against her strangling fingers. From far away, someone was shouting. She stared down into that accursed face. The glasses were askew and smeared with dried blood. The skin began to turn purple.

"What joy", whispered Hyun Ae. "To kill you with my own hands."

She did not know which part of her was speaking. Whether it was Pandora, the forced experiment, whether it was Priscilla Leila d'Opacus, bitter and desperate, or whether it was her very own self, Doctor Hyun Ae Choi, thirsting to rid the world from a monster in human form.

Suddenly, her arms were gripped and she was pulled back with force. Her hands slipped from Crombel's throat.

"NO!", she screeched. "DON'T STOP ME!"

"I'm doing this for your sake", said Cruor's voice in her ear, gentle and comforting. "You owe it to M-21 to honor his decision."

A storm arose. Hyun Ae looked up and thought for a moment Crombel's pilot had come back to pick him up.

But leaning from the cockpit a familiar face stared down onto them, his long hair slashing and whipping in the wind.

"It's Takeo", Hyun Ae said tonelessly, nearly inaudible against the roaring wind. "Why now?"

As if it had taken so long to sink in, she suddenly jumped to her feet, shaking Cruor's hands off.

"Where's M-21?", she screamed at him.

The werewolf threw her a strange look.

"Thought you'd never ask", he shouted back and pointed behind him.

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**Note: **I hope this was both a bit unexpected and an acceptable solution. Do give me your opinion. And there's still one more chapter to go, which will be up around the end of next week.


	57. Epilogue

****Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

**Author's note: **My dear, dear readers, it's been a really enjoyable time posting for you. Thank you all for your interest and kind reviews. I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is the final chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 57: Epilogue**

The feeling of floating. In the damped silence underwater the distorted sound of his breathing and the beating of his heart, calm and steady. The nearly inaudible pop of bubbles rising from the oxygen mask and bursting.

The scent of highly concentrated oxygen and a hint of rubber.

All so very familiar. Like the guilty feeling of relief, being able to wake up again, still alive, while others had already disappeared, would wake no more.

_Ah, I've been dreaming, _thought M-21. _I thought I had left the Organization. I thought I had found our names, M-24. Yet you were already dead. I thought I had begun to care for other things than my own survival. Crombel was dying. Such a strange dream..._

A very soft sound startled him and he opened his eyes.

The room was not tinged in green. The one staring up to him, having laid one hand against the glass was not Crombel.

It was Doctor Choi and her expression was filled with worry and warmth.

"He's waking up", Principal Lee said, muffled through the glass. He stepped up behind Doctor Choi, smiling up to M-21. "Your physical resistance has improved once more. I'm proud of you!"

M-21's mouth twitched behind the mask. The principal's passion for his research was back again. The weeks since the pox outbreak he had been increasingly dark and brooding, shutting himself up in the lab for hours, never smiling. Until M-21 had even begun to miss his malicious jokes and constant nagging about the housework.

He made a sign to get him out, but Frankenstein had already walked over to the control panel and was starting to drain the liquid.

When M-21 took off the oxygen mask and Frankenstein's newly installed drying device kicked in, Doctor Choi had already slipped from the room. He gave a bitter little smile as he noticed it.

"Nothing's changed, huh?", he remarked to the principal, thankfully accepting the offered clothes.

"That is not correct", replied the blonde, adjusting his glasses. "Much has changed. Especially you yourself."

"How so?", asked M-21 buttoning his jeans.

"When we first met you were a ruthless criminal, forcing the kids into a street fight with an infected, just for your own amusement", said Frankenstein.

"Hm", made M-21, rightfully embarrassed.

"Now not only have you risked your life several times for others but you also showed mercy to your sworn enemy. Hell, even I might have killed him!" The scientist paused and a satisfied smirk appeared on his face. "Under my care, you've not only become stronger than ever, but pretty clever. How did you erase Crombel's memory?"

"It's Turgo's recipe", answered M-21, beginning to climb the stairs. "I read about it in the files Tao gave me. I had hoped to find out more about my experimental line. I deemed it useful. It seems it has been. Where is Crombel now?"

Speaking the last words, they had entered the living room, where once more, everyone had gathered.

"In Britain", answered Tao across the room with a wide grin. "He's discovered a passion for landscape gardening."

"Is that so?", said M-21 and sat down next to Regis. He stretched. "My back feels itchy."

"Feel lucky", said Takeo, shaking his head. "The blast from the explosion burnt it down to the bone."

Hyun Ae stood in the doorway to the kitchen, arms crossed. She was relieved that he seemed to be fine, yet she felt she had no right to take part in the celebration.

"Are you thinking about Crombel?", asked a voice to her left. Frankenstein had joined her and his blue eyes, free of glasses now, regarded her intently. He saw the shadow that passed over her face at the mention of the name.

"You know I tried to kill him, right?", whispered Hyun Ae. "Did Cruor tell?"

Frankenstein shook his head. "He would not have needed to. The imprints of your fingers on his neck and the way you behaved spoke volumes."

"I am a horrible person", said Hyun Ae and her lip was quivering as she watched the others. "While he ascends, becoming a kind self-sacrificing hero, I continue to fall deeper into wickedness. I am afraid, Principal." She stared down at her hands that were shaking slightly. "I am afraid of what I am becoming. I would have killed him. And it felt good."

"Sometimes we need someone to help us stay on the right path", said Frankenstein, his gaze traveling over to Rai. "You should not let go of him."

"You make it sound so easy", mumbled Hyun Ae. "I don't want to be a burden."

"I do believe that you are too harsh with yourself", said Frankenstein earnestly. "You have strayed. The last weeks were stressful for us all. You were not sure of your decisions. You were not sure of yourself. It does not help that Miss d'Opacus was not a very restrained person for a Noble. You have felt betrayed. You were scared of the consequences of your decisions. Yet going to the facility has not proven wrong. In fact, hearing what young Cruor had to say, your presence there was what made him cooperate with M-21. Your decision was right. You were no burden. You never will be to anyone who truly cares about you."

"Thank you, Principal", whispered Hyun Ae. "A sulking woman is always a hassle."

"No woman is ever a hassle to me", replied Frankenstein with his most charming smile. "Now finally join us?"

Hyun Ae, still feeling uncomfortable, used the first opportunity to excuse herself early. Yet as she wanted to open the door, she felt a hand on her arm.

"Don't you think it's time we talked instead of running away?", asked M-21.

Her first instinct was to refuse. She wanted to be alone. She needed time to think. But she nodded anyway.

Since she could not remember having been there as Pandora, it was the first time she saw M-21's room. It looked like the guest-room she had been staying at several times. The only personal item was a book lying on the nightstand, spine up. The title read: 'Sin and Science: A short history on human experimentation'.

"Have a seat", said M-21 politely, pointing to the only chair in the room. He himself sat down on the edge of the bed after closing the door.

"Well?", he said after a few moments of awkward silence. "If you don't want to begin, I will. Why did you not go with Cruor when he asked you to?"

"How did you...?", began Hyun Ae, but stopped herself.

"That was during Shinwoo's infection", she answered. "I wanted to help him, though it seems now that it was pointless." She paused. "But, regardless of the question how you knew about that, why would you want to know?"

"Just...cowardice", replied M-21.

"Cowardice?", inquired Hyun Ae as he made no effort to explain himself.

"Because I do not dare ask the question that really needs to be asked", said M-21, blushing slightly. "Don't you have any questions?"

At that, Hyun Ae smiled. "Shall I grant you a short delay? Well, there was one thing that has been on my mind for a long time. How did you acquire that scar?"

She was surprised by the look of horror that passed over M-21's face. He stood up and began to pace the room uneasily. He came to a halt under one of the windows and drew back the curtain. Pale moonlight struck his face, turned up towards the sky as if for assurance. Eventually, he turned back to Hyun Ae.

"You know not what you ask of me", he said softly. "And yet, I guess you have a right to know."

He walked back to where she sat and leaned against the table, taking a few deep breaths. With them, he inhaled her scent. The long-lost urge to touch her returned with might. He gripped the edge of the table for support.

"You know that M-24 and I had sworn to recover our past", he began. Hyun Ae nodded and sat up eagerly.

"Not long after you had regained your memories after the experiment, I asked the principal to try the same substances with me", said M-21. He watched her small face intently.

_Only moments now, _he thought. _Only moments and she will turn away in disgust._

"It worked", he continued. "I remembered all. How I came to the Organization, who I was before. My parents, my name. But I should be talking about the scar. Crombel gave it to me."

"What does it have to do with your past?", asked Hyun Ae into the following silence.

M-21 sighed softly. "He was punishing me", he said. "He was punishing me because I refused him. I refused to let him fuck me a second time."

Hyun Ae's eyes widened. "I don't understand", she whispered.

"What?", snapped M-21, pushing away from the table. "I was a man-whore. That is my past. What's not to understand?"

"No", said Hyun Ae tonelessly. "Why didn't you kill him?"

M-21's rage evaporated. "Why didn't I kill him?", he repeated, baffled. "I...it would not have been right. You would have hated me."

At that, Hyun Ae began to laugh shrilly. "You fool!", she choked under tears. "I tried to kill him myself! And I would have done it had not Cruor pulled me away."

M-21 crouched down in front of her. After some hesitation, he dared to wipe off a tear. When no protest came, he gently tugged at her arms until he could embrace her. She sobbed into his shoulder.

"I am a monster", she cried.

"Hush", he mumbled and pulled her up with him since his knees were protesting against the awkward position. "Does not your regret prove you wrong? It's not easy to be a good person. I should know best myself. Shall I tell you my secret?"

He felt her nod against his chest, sniffling. "When I was in a difficult situation, I asked myself what you would think about my decision. It always turned out fine."

They stayed like this for several minutes, her tears slowly drying. He felt tempted by the overwhelming smell of her hair and the proximity of their bodies but dared not make a move.

"What's your question?", Hyun Ae suddenly asked, turning her red-eyed face up to him.

"My question?", he repeated dumbly, totally lost now.

"The question you wanted to ask earlier", said Hyun Ae. "We put it off for my question, remember?"

"Oh, that question", mumbled M-21, blushing again and taking a step away from her. "I...ah, to hell with it! Are you in love with Cruor?"

"I love him", replied Hyun Ae softly. She swiftly grabbed his sleeve as he wanted to turn away. "But not as I love you. He doesn't make my heart tremble."

"I'll make it race", said M-21 and pulled her close.

The End

* * *

**Note: **So *sniff* that's it, then. Thanks again for staying with me until now, it's been a lot of fun. Review one last time, will you? Have a nice week, everyone!


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